A Long Awaited Love Story
by Failte
Summary: On their tenth anniversary, the gang gathers and remembers back on Keith and Allura's relationship. Part of my series. Finished! Thank you all!
1. To Tell A Story

Hi all!  
  


And here is the first chapter of the K & A story I've been promising.  This chapter is mainly just to set the scene and reacquaint you with the characters.  The action will follow soon.

It sort of follows my other stories in that the characters I've created will make an appearance, so it helps if you have read my other stories (New Arrivals, Home Sweet Home, Of Love and Bugs).  

Once again I have taken a lot of liberties, so it won't follow the show word for word and I don't own Voltron or any of the characters you know from the show.  

Enjoy,

Failte

************************************************************

Keith meandered down the main road toward Alforia, his hands in his pockets. He had told Allura he would pick up the kids today, it was a big day after all. Today was their tenth anniversary. Sven and Romelle were flying in with their two kids, Lance and Darcy would be up at the castle with their daughter. Hunk and Paton would arrive later and Pidge and Becca were already there.  Caleb and Dante had both been invited, but both men had been reassigned by the Garrison many years before.  The visited as often as they could but the visits had become more rare as of late.  Caleb was assigned to a peace keeping mission on the other side of the Weberion Galaxy, forty seven hours away.  Dante was leading a group in an exploratory mission through the Lederer Universe and was unable to get away.  
  
He checked his watch. School would let out in about ten minutes. He and Allura had decided when Cady, their oldest, was ready to start school that she would go to the public school. Allura felt it showed her faith in their education system and she wanted her children to grow up with plenty of interaction with the other town's children. The school was a mile and a half away and either Keith or Allura, sometimes both of them, would drop them off and pick them up every day. But on beautiful days like today, Keith enjoyed the walk.   
  
Allura was tied up with last minute arrangements for the next night's celebration. Whereas tonight was going to be a small dinner with family and close friends, the next night was going to be a ball where dignitaries, friends, and the press would come to celebrate their anniversary.  
  
Keith had hoped they would reach this milestone quietly, maybe even get away for the weekend, just the two of them. But when you're married to the planet's monarch, it's never that simple. The arrival of their tenth wedding anniversary was also the tenth anniversary of Allura becoming the full-fledged Queen of Arus. Never again was his life, or any major milestone in it, including the birth of their children and their wedding anniversaries, ever going to pass quietly.   
  
It had been a hard adjustment for a man who had once closely guarded his privacy. He went from being just another Garrison pilot to the Prince Consort to one of the most powerful women in the galaxy. Not that he ever felt second to Allura. Their lives were a partnership. She ruled Arus as justly and kindly as her father had, but she always spoke with him concerning major decisions. She had placed the military in his hands, giving him full jurisdiction over it, although he would never make a major decision without speaking with her first. They disagreed sometimes and a few times they had even fought, but it was never anything they couldn't talk through.   
  
When he had accepted this potentially suicidal mission to lead a ragtag group of space explorers in search of the legendary fairy-tale of Voltron, Keith could never have imagined himself ending up like this. Finding Voltron and using him to defeat the worst enemy the Garrison had ever been up against. Falling in love with the Princess, marrying her, and having four children. 

When Allura announced she was pregnant with their youngest, Lance had given him a box of condoms and instructions on how to use them.  Four children. Geez, when did that happen? His whole world changed when Cady had been born nine years ago. She had been followed two years later by their twin boys, Gideon and Declan, and four years ago, Tess entered their lives. And he couldn't be happier.  Family had always been important to him, especially since he had lost his father at a young age and Allura had always wanted a big family.

Keith walked past small groups of children as he neared the schoolyard. A few smiled shyly and he waved in return. It had taken him a while, but he had grown comfortable in his celebrity status. Not that he enjoyed it, per se, but it was just something he had to get used to.  
  
"Dad!"  
  
He grinned at the sight of a dark haired little boy running toward him, "Hey, Gid, how was school?"  
  
Gideon stopped in front of his father, his brother right behind him, "It was good, Dad and guess what!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Dec has a girlfriend."  
  
Keith raised an eyebrow and looked at his other son, "You have a girlfriend?"  
  
"No," Declan kicked at the dirt and stared at his feet.  
  
The boys were fraternal twins, they took after him with his dark hair and features but they had their mother's big blue eyes.  Tess was a comfortable combination of the two of them with her blonde hair, brown eyes, and soft features. Cady, however, was a little Allura. She had the long, thick, blonde curls, big blue eyes, and the ability to get him to agree to just about anything by smiling at him.  
  
"Yes he does!" Gideon punched his brother in the arm. "It's Savi Bunderman."  
  
"Bunkerlan," Declan corrected, punching Gideon back.  
  
Keith bit his cheek to keep from smiling, "Is it serious?"  
  
"No, she's not my girlfriend!" Declan face turned bright red.  
  
"Who? Savi Bunkerlan?" Cady came up behind them, digging in her bookbag.  
  
"Yeah," Gideon told her.  
  
"Hi, Cady, how was school?" Keith asked, trying to take the heat off his son.  
  
"Good, look," she held out a piece of paper with a gold star out for him to see.  
  
Keith scanned it and grinned at her, "Way to go, sweetie, we'll put this on the fridge."  
  
She beamed at him.  
  
"Where's Tessy?" Declan asked.  
  
"She stayed home to help Mom plan tomorrow's party." Keith told them.  
  
"Do I hafta wear a suit?" Gideon whined.  
  
"If I have to, you have to," Keith cuffed him gently on the head. He looked up and stopped when he saw Darcy, Lance's wife, standing beside a little dark haired girl. Her hand rested on the girl's shoulder as she spoke to a teacher. "Is Sky in trouble again?"  
  
Cady looked over, "Yeah, she got into a fight."  
  
Keith looked down at her, "A fight?"  
  
"Yeah, with a fourth grader."  
  
He watched as another woman walked up with a boy. The boy looked miserable and had a bruise on his cheek. "A fourth grade _boy?"  
  
"Yup," Cady took his hand.   
  
Keith couldn't help but smile. _Lance will be so proud_, He thought.  
  
"Come on, Daddy," she tugged on his hand.   
  
"Just a second, Cady, I want to talk to Aunt Darcy." He watched as Darcy clutched Sky's shoulder and steered her away from the school, speaking lowly to her.  
  
"You are in big trouble, young lady. What have we told you about fighting?"   
  
"I know," Schuyler mumbled.  
  
Darcy looked up and saw Keith watching her, wonderingly. She let go of her daughter's shoulder, "Hi Keith."  
  
"Hi Darc, everything alright?"  
  
"Go ahead, walk with Cady," Darcy fell in step with Keith, behind the children. "She hit a boy."  
  
"I heard it was a fourth grader."  
  
"Yeah, he's about two inches taller than her and outweighs her by about fifteen pounds."  
  
"Lance will be proud."  
  
Darcy rolled her eyes, "That's part of the problem. It's hard to discipline her when Lance is in the background cheering her on."  
  
Keith smiled, "Did she say what caused the fight?"  
  
"No, neither one of them would say what caused it."  
  
"You guys are still coming tonight, aren't you?"  
  
"Of course, we wouldn't miss this for the world," Darcy grinned as a thought occurred to her. "As a matter of fact, we'll be getting there early so Schuyler can help Nanny."  
  
"Ouch," Keith winced. "So begins the punishment, huh?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Darcy stopped in front of the house she shared with her husband and daughter.  "Schuyler Grace! Come back here! We're not heading up to the castle just yet."  
  
Schuyler wrinkled her nose in disgust as she did every time her mother used her middle name, "See you later, Cady." She waved to her friend.  
  
"Bye Sky!" The three Whitaker children called after her.  
  
"You need to get washed up and changed," Darcy told her daughter as they entered the house.  
  
"Do I hafta dress up?"  Schuyler stopped and petted the big golden mutt who greeted her at the door.  "Hi Chewy."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Tonight _and_ tomorrow?" Sky whined.  
  
"Yes. I'm sure Erik can't wait to see you in a dress," Darcy teased.  
  
Sky wrinkled her nose again, "Oh yuck!"  
  
The sound of running water drew Darcy's attention, "Sounds like Daddy's home."  
  
"Are you, uh," Sky looked at her feet. "Are you gonna tell Daddy about the fight?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh man!" She kicked a kitchen chair as she passed.  
  
"Then you shouldn't have gotten into a fight. Go get dressed while I talk to your father." Darcy gave the girl a gentle push in the direction of her room while she went to the bedroom she shared with Lance. He walked out of the adjoining bathroom, shirtless and rubbing his wet hair with a towel.   
  
"Hi there, Beautiful," he greeted her as she shut the door behind her.  
  
"Hey, how was work?"  
  
"Good, we have a great new class of recruits," he let the towel fall across his shoulders. "We spent most of the day going over everything with the guards for this weekend." He crossed to her and kissed her gently, backing her up against the door.   
  
"Lance," she murmured against his lips. Putting her hands on his damp chest, she tried to push him away.  
  
"That's not really the greeting I was hoping for," he told her, looking down at her mischievously. "You used to swoon."  
  
"I never _swooned_."  
  
In one swift movement, Lance wrapped his arm around her waist twirled her around and dipped her dramatically. "You swooned," he corrected, bringing his lips down on hers for a deep kiss. He pulled back when she began to laugh. "What?"  
  
"I'll swoon later, honey, we need to talk."  
  
"Uh oh," he brought her upright. "What'd she do now?"  
  
"She got into a fight."  
  
Concern crossed his face, "Is she alright?"  
  
"She's fine. She hit a boy."  
  
The concern was quickly replaced by a grin, "A boy? Why? Was he getting fresh?"  
  
Darcy rolled her eyes, "For Pete's sake, Lance! No he wasn't getting fresh, she's only eight and he's only in fourth grade."  
  
"My daughter beat up a fourth grade boy?" His chest puffed out with pride.  
  
"This isn't something to be proud of, Lance. We need to talk to her. She can't keep picking fights."  
  
"I'm sure she had a good reason, what happened?"   
  
"She wouldn't say."  
  
Lance nodded and crossed to open the door, "Schuyler! Come here, please."  
  
With her head down and her dress unzipped in the back, Schuyler shuffled into her parent's room.  Chewy followed at her heels, his tongue hanging out of the side of his mouth giving him a goofy expression that fit his personality. Darcy tugged the zipper up as the little girl turned to face her father.  
  
Lance sat on the edge of the bed, "What happened, Sky?"  
  
"Nothing," she mumbled, looking at her feet.  
  
He put his finger under her chin and forced her to look at him, "You don't just hit a boy for nothing. What happened? Was he picking on you?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Was he picking on Cady?"  
  
Schuyler hesitated before shaking her head again.  
  
Having grown up together, the two girls had forged a deep friendship but they were complete opposites. Whereas Schuyler was the tomboy and troublemaker, Cady was a quintessential princess. More often then not, Schuyler found herself standing up for the prim and proper girl.  
  
"Schuyler," Lance lowered his tone.  
  
She sighed dramatically, "He made fun of Uncle Keith and Cady got sad."  
  
Lance glanced at Darcy over her head and then back down at his daughter, "He made fun of Uncle Keith? What did he say?"  
  
Schuyler played with them hem of her dress and looked at the floor, "He said that Uncle Keith shouldn't've married Aunt 'Lura. He said Uncle Keith was a nobody and he shouldn't've married a Queen. He's a distrace..."  
  
"Disgrace," Darcy corrected quietly.  
  
Schuyler nodded, "A disgrace to Arus and the royal family."  
  
Lance looked back at Darcy, "It sounds like he was just repeating what he heard."  
  
Darcy nodded and sank down on the bed beside Lance, taking the girl's hand in hers, "Sky, I know you were upset about what you heard, but you still should not have hit him. There is never an excuse to hit."  
  
"But," she looked up at her parents. "But I was defending Uncle Keith, just like you guys defended Arus."_

"That's different," Darcy said slowly.

"How?"

Darcy looked up at Lance, but saw him staring at the wall over Schuyler's head, his lips pursed.  She knew he was trying not to laugh.  "Because, Schuyler, we were trained soldiers hired to do a job.  Arus was in danger, we came to save the lives of the people here.  We didn't defend Arus because Doom was making fun of them."  
  


Lance took a deep breath to keep the laughter from his voice and lifted his daughter onto his lap, "Sky, do you think Uncle Keith should not have married Aunt Allura?"

"No."

  
"Do you believe what that boy said?"

"No."

"You are a very smart girl, Sky, you know the truth.  Next time that boy, or anyone else, says something mean about Uncle Keith or Aunt Allura, just remember that you know them better than they do.  Think about how much you love them and walk away.  Do you understand?"

She nodded, scratching Chewy's head as he laid it on her knee.

"We know you meant well," Darcy added gently.  "But the best thing you can do is walk away when someone says something mean like that.  You know better."

Sky looked up her parents with wide eyes and her lower lip sticking out, "Am I still in trouble?"

Lance looked at Darcy over the top of their daughter's head and smiled.

"Yes," Darcy insisted.  "We're going to head up to the castle early and you are going to help Nanny get ready for dinner.  You will do as you're told and you will do it properly.  Understand?"

"Yes, Mom," she cast her eyes down.

"And if I find out you hit anyone again, it will be a long, long time before you're in Red again."  Darcy added.

Schuyler whipped her head up, a look of shock on her face.  But she saw by her mother's expression just how serious she was, so Schuyler nodded.

"Alright," Lance set Schuyler on her feet and stood.  "I need to finish getting ready so we can leave."

"Go find your shoes," Darcy said, running her hand over Schuyler's head.  "And then I'll do your hair."

Lance closed the door behind her and turned to face his wife, a huge grin on his face, "My God, I love that kid."

"Good," Darcy said, snaking her arms around his waist.  "'Cause we're stuck with her for a while."

He kissed her, "My daughter beat up a forth grade boy."

"You don't need to brag about that."

"I think I do."

"Lance," she shook her head.

"She's going to make a great soldier."

"What if she decides she doesn't want to be a soldier?"

Lance looked down at her, scandalized, "What else would she do?"

"I don't know?  She could move to Pollux and marry Erik."

"No.  That boy will never be allowed to touch our daughter."

"She's going to grow up sometime, Lance, and some boy is going to sweep in and steal her away."

"Nope."

Darcy grinned up at him, "Starting to sympathize with my father?"

Lance mumbled incoherently and went in search of a shirt to wear.

***********************************************************

"Sven!  Glad to see you again, buddy," Keith pulled Sven into a one-armed hug while holding Tess with his other.

Their ship had just landed, and Keith, Tess, Pidge, Cady, and the boys were out by the tarmac to greet them.  

"Keit, good to see you.  And is dis Tess?  You've gotten so big."  Sven tickled the chin of Keith and Allura's youngest.

Tess looked at him with her big brown eyes, "No I didn't I'm still da smallest."

Sven smiled at her, "But you're bigger than you were de last time I saw you."

She considered this a moment, but looked confused.

"Tess, you remember your cousins, Erik and Delora," Keith set her on the ground, but she quickly turned to hug his legs.

"Keith, it's so good to see you again.  Where's Allura?"  Romelle asked as she hugged him.

"To be honest, I'm not sure," he picked Tess up again.  "She asked me to come meet you guys because she had something to see to, but she'll explain it later."

"Has everyone else arrived?"  Romelle asked.

"We're still waiting for Lance, Darcy, and Schuyler.  Hunk and Paton are in the rec room."  Keith told her.

"How is Paton?"  Sven asked as they made their way into the castle.

"Very pregnant," said Keith.

"Captain," Koran greeted them in Castle Control.  "Her Majesty would like to talk to you."

"Is everything alright?"  Keith asked, handing Tess to Pidge.

"She didn't say what was wrong, just that she needed to speak to you and she's in her study."

Keith turned to his friends, "Make yourselves at home, you know where everything is.  I'll find you later."  He hurried out of the room and down the hall towards her study.  She was acting very secretive and he hadn't really seen her since he had returned home with the kids.

"Come in," Allura called when he knocked.

"Hey, baby, are you okay?"  He asked, closing the door behind him.

She stood and walked around to the front of her desk, "I'm great."

"You've had me worried, I haven't seen you all afternoon and now you ask to speak to me alone when our guests have just arrived."

"Yeah, I guess I have been rude," Allura leaned against her desk and picked up a folder.  "I'll go meet them in a minute, I just wanted to give you an early Anniversary present."

He cocked an eyebrow, "Oh yeah."

Wordlessly, she held the folder out to him.  

"What's that?"

"There's only one way to find out."

Bewildered, Keith took the folder from her and flipped it open.  A quick laugh escaped his lips, "Is this for real?"

"Yup."

"You're okay with this?"

"I'm great with this.  What about you?"

"I'm thrilled.  You're sure?"

"Becca tested me twice."

Keith stepped closer and pulled her into a tight hug, "Baby number five.  Lance is going to want to know why we didn't use the condoms he gave us."

"I think we should tell the kids before we tell anyone else," Allura told him, turning to kiss his cheek.

He kissed her long and hard.  "Happy Anniversary, Angel."

*****************************************************************************

After dinner that night, the entire gang retired to the rec room, just like old times.  Before dinner, Allura and Keith had taken their kids aside and told them the news.  Cady was excited and told them she hoped it would be another girl, the boys, however wanted a brother and the three of them started arguing.  Tess wasn't too sure what she thought about it.  Now they were just waiting for the right opportunity to tell their friends.

"I can't believe it's been ten years," Sven said, sitting back on the sofa, slinging his arm across Romelle's shoulders.

"_You_ can't believe it?"  Lance scoffed.  "Who thought Keith could snag the Princess?"

"I knew it," Hunk spoke up.  "The moment they set eyes on each other, they were both in trouble."  
  


"What do you mean they were in trouble?" Cady asked.  She was sitting on the floor with Gideon, Declan, Erik, Delora and Schuyler, playing a board game.  Tess was sitting on the loveseat between her parents.

"It was love at first sight," Hunk told her.

"Well," Keith rubbed the back of his neck.  "I don't think it was really love at first sight, I mean I was certainly attracted to her, Allura is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen.  But love came later, after I got to know her and I saw how smart and strong and classy she is."

Smiling, Allura leaned over and kissed him gently, ignoring the groans of "Yuck!" and "Gross!" from her sons and Schuyler.

"It was love at first sight for me," she whispered.  "But then I realized Lance was the wrong one for me and I decided to give you a chance."

The guys all laughed.

"You almost married Aunt 'Lura?"  Schuyler gasped at her father.

"Never," Keith said.

Lance tweaked his daughter's nose, "Nope.  I never even noticed women before I met your mother."

This set the gang off once again, laughing hysterically.  Pidge choked on his drink and Sven almost fell to the floor.

Becca patted Pidge on the back, "I can't believe you would lie to your own daughter."

"Hey!" Lance looked up at his sister-in-law.  "You didn't even know me back then."

"I've heard stories," she stuck her tongue out at him.

"Remind me to take you out back and beat you up later, Pidge."

Becca sat back in the big, overstuffed chair where she was cuddled with Pidge.  The two of them had married in a simple ceremony on Terra a year earlier and were living in the wing once occupied by the Voltron Force.  Dr. Gorma was in the process of turning his practice over to her and it was decided she needed to stay in the Castle for the time being.  "How exactly did you guys get together?"  She asked.

"It vasn't easy," Sven said.  "Dey are two of de most stubborn, thick-headed people you'll ever meet.  Keit tought he vasn't good enough for a Princess and Allura tought she didn't have a chance vith Keit.  It vas pathetic, really."

"It was not!"  Allura huffed.  "There was a lot going on.  We were at war, almost always under attack, I had a planet to rebuild.  Romance had to be put on the backburner for a while."

"Nope, you were just pigheaded."  Lance said.

  
The children looked at each other and giggled.

"Yeah, well, we can't all bully women into loving us," Keith told his second-in-command.  
  


"Hey!  I didn't bully anyone." Lance threw his arm around Darcy's shoulders.

She turned and kissed his cheek, "Yes you did, sweetie."

"Okay," Becca spoke up.  "This sounds like it has the makings of an interesting story."

Lance and Sven looked at each other.  Sven nodded to his friend, so Lance began.

  
"The first time we laid eyes on Allura, Koran introduced her as she came down the stairs and we were all knocked for a loop…"

"Hey," Keith interrupted.  "If you're going to tell the story of how we got together, I think _we should be the ones telling it."_

"Yeah right," Lance snorted.  "You would sugar coat it and change things.  Becca wants to hear the real story and I know we want to tell it."

"Yeah, Daddy, let Uncle Lance tell it," Cady said, climbing onto her father's lap.

"Any way, as I was saying, when Koran introduced us to Allura we were all pleasantly surprised.  A beautiful, smart young woman…"


	2. Mixed Signals

Hi all!  
  
Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews!  I really do appreciate them!  

The story is being told as a flashback, but any segment you see in italics within brackets  _{{ Like this}}  represent the gang interrupting the story.  I hope isn't confusing, it was the best way I could think to do it._

Enjoy!  
Failte****

************************************************************************

**Flashback to nearly fifteen years earlier…**

"She's beautiful," Pidge breathed.

They all watched as the golden haired young woman glided down the wrecked steps of the ruined castle. 

Keith swallowed hard and for a moment forgot all the protocol he had had drilled into his mind over the years.  She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, but he couldn't bring himself to repeat Pidge's words.  As she came closer, he saw her tired eyes and expression that made her appear older than she was, having been forced to endure more than anyone that young ever should.   He felt suddenly overcome with the urge to reach out and touch her, protect and soothe her.

"Your Highness," Keith bowed deeply and kissed the back of her hand.

"I'm so glad you've come, we are in desperate need of your help."  Her voice was tired and low.

Lance stepped forward with a smile on his face, "Anything for a beautiful lady like yourself."  
  


Koran cleared his throat and Allura raised her gaze to his.

  
  


_{{"Oh Lance, you didn't!" Darcy exclaimed.  "You step foot on a new planet and within seconds you're hitting on the first woman you meet?"_

_"Hey, I had just spent twenty eight hours on a cramped ship with four other men," he shrugged.  _

_"I was rather shocked," Allura admitted.  "I had never been spoken to in such an insolent manner before."_

_Keith chuckled, "I was ready to throttle him."  
  
_

_"Yeah, like you even noticed vhat he said, you vere so enraptured by de Princess you didn't hear a vord any of us said," Sven told him._

_Lance nodded, "That's why we need to tell the story, so if you'll allow me to continue…"}}_

Keith was able to keep his mind on his work for a while.  The Force was in the process of working with the Voltron Lions, learning to fly them properly and to form Voltron.  He was working with Koran and the Princess concerning the military, or rather lack thereof, and the threat from Doom.  It was a lot of hard work and research.  He had learned that through it all, Koran had kept a running log of everything they had, who they had, when Doom had attacked, and the damage they had done.  Allura was completely hands-on, knowing all that was going on on her planet and with her people.  She had taken Keith and the rest of the Force down to the caves, shown them where her people were currently staying.

Keith was in complete awe of Allura.  After having been forced into ruling her people at an early age, she had proven herself to be a great leader.  With Koran's help, she had been able to keep what was left of her people together and protect them from the constant threat of Doom.

One evening, about a week after they had arrived, Koran took Keith aside.

"I would like to talk to you, Captain," the older man said.  
  
"Yes, sir," Keith followed him to a far corner of Castle Control.

"We've been attacked by Doom twice since you all have arrived."

Keith nodded.

"You're a smart man, Captain, and I know you have realized the common denominator of the attacks."

"Doom wants Arus."  
  


"It goes deeper than that.  Zarkon's son, Lotor, wants the Princess."

Keith furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

"Lotor is a horrible man, Captain, and he…" Koran stopped, trying to figure out how to put it into words.  "He lusts after the Princess, he claims to love her, but that demon has no real concept of what love is.  He personally wants the Princess as his wife."

Keith nodded, "We will do everything in our power to make sure nothing happens to her."

"He is a sneaky creature with a witch and an army at his disposal.  He has ways of getting in, getting to her.  The finding of Voltron has angered Zarkon even more and he would love to see his son have the Princess, a sort of slap in the face, if you will, to the memory of King Alfor and everything he had stood for."

"I understand, sir."

"Just watch out for him," Koran warned.

Keith looked up to see Allura talking to Lance and Hunk.  Her eyes still reflected her exhaustion, but she wore a weak smile as she spoke with them.  He was jealous of Lance's easy way with people, particularly women.  And Hunk, the big teddy bear, could make anyone relax around him.  When they weren't discussing battle tactics or security measures, Keith wasn't sure what to say to her.  He wanted to make her smile, make her laugh.  He wanted to take away all the pain and the fear.  He wanted to cross the room, push Lance out of the way, and kiss her senseless.

_Whoa,_ he thought to himself.  _Where had that come from?  She is the Princess of the planet I am sworn to protect.   Sure, she's pretty, but I can't afford to get tangled in a relationship right now, especially with her.  _

Koran was speaking to him, "Captain? Are you alright?"

"What?  Oh, yes, Koran, I'm sorry."

"I just wanted to bring it to your attention, make sure you understood the depths of their hatred and what the Princess has to deal with."

"I swear to you, Koran, we will do everything in our power to protect her."  
  


Koran studied the young man, it was no secret that all five of the space explorers had their heads turned by his charge.  Lieutenants Lance Collier and Sven Johansson both flirted with her a bit.  Lieutenant Hunk Landers treated her kindly, almost like a big brother while Lieutenant Pidge Audric looked up at her in a worshipful way.  Then there was the Captain.

More than once, Koran had caught Keith watching the Princess, not in a threatening or even lustful way, he appeared to be studying her, trying to figure her out.  There was something about him that Koran trusted, but when it came to the girl he thought of as his own daughter, Koran didn't really trust _any young man._

"Doom has been surprisingly quiet the past couple of days," Hunk commented as Keith and Koran walked back over to them.

"We did some damage last time they tried anything, I think they're starting to realize just how serious we are," Lance said proudly.

Koran nodded, "I hope you're right."

Keith looked up from the log and found Allura watching him.  Her wide blue eyes met his.  Keith felt a blush rise to his face and that pissed him off.  It was really hard to be a good leader when you blushed at the sight of a woman.

  
"Is there something I can do for you, Princess?"  He asked, more sharply than he had intended.

Allura raised her eyebrows, her cheeks reddening.  "No, Captain."  She turned to Koran, "I am going to my study, Koran, if you need me for anything."

"Please, take a guard with you, Your Highness," Koran pleaded.

She waved her hand at him, dismissively, "That's not necessary."  
  


"Please…"  
  


"Really, it's not necessary," she repeated.  "I have my communicator on me and nothing is going to happen as long as these gentlemen are here."

Lance watched as Allura left, followed by Koran, before turning to Keith.  "What crawled up your butt, Cap?"

"Watch it, Lieutenant," Keith warned.

"With all due respect, Captain," Hunk spoke up.  "You were a little rude to the Princess."

Keith turned to the console, looking at the computers they were updating.  "We're working together," he muttered.  "That doesn't mean we have to be friends."

Lance looked at Hunk and grinned, "I think our fearless leader has a little crush."

"Shut it, Lance," Keith growled.

"She's an amazing woman.  Smart, sweet, funny, and absolutely gorgeous."

"I'm warning you Lance."  
  


"You know," Lance stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels.  "I've noticed her looking at you a few times."

Keith tensed, but didn't say anything.

  
Hunk shook his head, "I'm going to go find Pidge."

"In all seriousness, Keith," Lance said when they were alone.  "I think you should go for it."

"Shut up, Lance."

"Come on, Keith, you like her and she seems interested…"

Keith whirled on him, "Lance, what part of 'shut up' don't you understand?  We are here to do a job, Lieutenant, which means no one, not you or me or Sven or Hunk tries to pursue the Princess."

"What about Pidge?"

Keith took a menacing step toward him, "I'm serious, Lieutenant."

Lance held his hands up defensively, "Alright, alright, hands off."

"Just make sure you keep it that way," Keith turned back to the computer.

_{{ "Oh come on!"  Keith interrupted.  "I wasn't that bad."_

_"Yeah you were," Hunk told him._

_"You vere very grouchy, Keit, a real bear."  Sven said._

_Keith turned to his wife, "I wasn't that bad, was I?"_

_She shrugged, "I was terrified of you."_

_"What?"_

_"You were quiet and brooding, you snapped at me.  I wasn't really sure how to take you," Allura admitted._

_Keith threw his hands up in the air, "I was trying to shape you morons into the most powerful force in the universe to protect and serve the people of Arus.  Sorry if I couldn't hold your hands and coddle you all."_

_Lance rolled his eyes, "Don't be so dramatic, Keith, we all knew you were behaving like that because you were in love with Allura and you were too stupid to admit it.  Anyway, Allura had disappeared for most of the afternoon, so I went looking for her after dinner…" }}_

"Princess?"

Allura looked over her shoulder to see Lance enter the Observation Deck.  "Yes, Lance?"

"Haven't seen you since dinner, are you okay?"

She smiled at him.  Since their landing on Arus, she and Lance had become good friends.  He was nice and charming and she found it easy to talk to him.  "Can I ask you something, Lance?"  
  


"Of course," he fell back onto a chair and watched as she paced in front of the windows.  

"Why does the Captain not like me?"

Her question surprised him.  "He likes you."

"No, he doesn't.  He hardly ever talks to me, at least not like the rest of you guys do.  And, well, he was snappy today."

Lance grinned at her, "You're just not used to him yet.  Keith is very career oriented.  He is here to protect your planet and he takes that very seriously.  Once he settles in here a little better he'll relax.  As a matter of fact he likes you very much."

Allura nodded slowly, "I want to help.  This is my planet and they are my people, I want to work with him, I _need_ to work with him, but he is not making it easy for me."  
  


"I can have a word with him," Lance stood.                                                                          

"Thank you, Lance, but no.  I'll talk to him.  Where is he?"

"I, uh, I believe he's in his room right now."

"Thank you," with a quick nod, she took hold of her skirt and lifted it enough to scurry from the room.

Lance let out a breath, "You're in trouble, Cap."

"Who is it?"  Keith as when there was a knock on his door.

  
"Princess Allura, Captain."

Surprised, Keith quickly crossed the room and opened the door.  "Are you okay?  What's wrong?"

"I wanted to speak with you.  May I come in?"

"Oh, uh, of course," he stepped aside and tried to ignore the smell of roses that wafted around her.  She had ways of invading his senses when he didn't want her to.

Allura couldn't help but notice how clean and bare his room was.  The bed was made, there were no clothes thrown over the desk chair and there were no pictures or knickknacks anywhere in sight.

Keith left the door open, knowing it was totally inappropriate for her to be in his room unsupervised.  "Please have a seat," he indicated his desk chair.  "What can I do for you, Your Highness?"

Gathering her wits and nerve, Allura sat on the edge of the chair and looked up at him, "We have to work together, Captain, and I think it's important we try to get along."

Surprised, Keith nodded.

"And…and I think we should…"  Allura broke off when the castle alarms sounded.

Keith jumped to his feet, "Come on."  Without thinking, he grabbed her hand and ran from his room.

"Unidentified ships haf entered Arusian airspace," Sven announced as the rest of the Force entered Castle Control.

Lance noticed Keith dropping Allura's hand as they ran in and decided to say something later.

"Any communications?"  Keith asked.

"No, sir."

"Alright, boys, to your Lions."  Keith raced toward the entrance to Black.

"Good luck and be careful!"  Allura shouted after them as she joined Koran beside the main console, trying to ignore the warmth that remained where he had clutched her hand.

"It is Doom," Koran said unnecessarily as the Lion shot into the air.

"How many ships?"  Allura asked, her eye glued to the screen that showed the five pilots.

"It looks like six ships and one huge coffin," Koran sighed.

**********************************************************

Keith watched as the half dozen Doom fighters came into view.  Those were not what worried him, it was the huge coffin that was gliding into view and heading toward the land beside the lake.

"Keep them away from the castle," he told his men as the fighters opened fire.  

"What about the robeast?"  Hunk asked.

"It hasn't been released yet," Keith replied as he shot down a fighter.  "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

The castle shook as it was hit twice.  Lance swore as four more fighter ships entered Arusian airspace.  Green was hit before sending a shot across the front of a fighter.  Three more Doom fighters were shot down just as the coffin ship began to shake and open.  A huge, monstrous creature slowly stood.  It was a half robot half beetle looking creature that rose to be as tall as the castle.

"We need Voltron!"  Keith yelled.

"But vhat about de fighters?"  Sven asked.

"Right now, the castle is in immediate danger from the robeast!"

***********************************************************

Allura watched, holding her breath as the Lions joined to form Voltron.  Her heart raced and her head swirled as she watched the immense robot approach the robeast.  On the screen before her she watched the concentration on the faces of the five Voltron pilots.  Gone were the smartass remarks and wisecracks, replaced by their military training and teamwork.

The castle shook as another shot hit it.

"No, Your Highness," Koran said as she took a step away.  "Let the guards man the turret guns."

Keith had taken to training the guards on the turret guns after Allura had manned one herself a few days earlier.  She felt she was able to fight, but the leader of the Voltron Force seemed to disagree.  

"I can't just stand here and let them fire upon us!"

"Yes you can.  The guards are already at the turret guns."

Allura stamped her foot out of frustration.  This was _her planet, __her people and she could not just stand by and watch them under attack.  _

The ground shuddered violently and Allura looked up to see the robeast on its back, rolling back and forth, trying to get its feet under it.  Voltron raised the blazing sword above its head, bringing it crashing down on the creature, destroying the robeast.  Voltron then turned to face the fighters who were left.  

"Yee-ha!"  Lance shouted. "Look at them turn tail and run!"

"Alright men," Keith announced. "Let's circle around and make sure they're gone."

The five lions broke formation and flew higher, circling, dipping, and swooping.  After twenty minutes, it was declared the sky was clear and there were no signs of unidentified ships.

"Dat vas amazing!"  Sven said as they entered Castle Control.

"I think it's actually getting easier," Lance replied.

"Let's not get too cocky, Lieutenant," Keith said.  "I think we're getting more comfortable with the lions and Voltron, but the robeasts are getting bigger and stronger."

"And we keep kicking their butts!"  Pidge threw a fist in the air.

Koran cleared his throat.

Pidge blushed slightly, "Sorry, Your Highness."

Allura smiled sweetly, "No, I totally agree Pidge, you did kick their, uh, butts."

Lance laughed, "Looks like we're corrupting the Princess."

"Not if Nanny has anything to say about that," Koran said.

"You guys did a great job," she told them.  "Thank you so much."  Her eyes came to rest upon Keith.  His hair disheveled and his face worried.  "What is it Captain?"  
  


He shook his head, "The fighters left rather quickly."

"They saw what we did to the robeast and they did not want a piece of that," Lance told him.

"No," Keith shook his head again.  "Something's coming."

"What are you thinking, Cap?"  Hunk asked.

Keith shrugged, "Why don't you guys go find something to eat.  I'm on duty now."

Lance watched as the others filed out of the room before rounding back on Keith.  "So, Cap, how're you doing?"

"I'm fine, Lance, what's up?"

"Oh nothing," he leaned against the console and watched as Keith flipped through some files Koran had left him.  "I just couldn't help but notice you and the Princess running in here earlier…holding hands."

"What?"  Keith looked up, surprised.

"Oh, don't play dumb with me."

"Was I really holding her hand?"

Lance nodded, grinning.

"Oh, geez, tell me you're kidding!"  Keith ran hand through his hair.  "We were talking and then the alarms went off and I…I grabbed her hand and ran to Castle Control.  Oh man, I can't believe I did that.  I mean, I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to be that forward and, oh God, what does she think of me?"

"Calm down, she didn't seem too upset."

Keith scowled at him.

"Now I know you weren't quite the ladies man that Sven and I were in the Academy, but I think you…"

"Don't start Lance."

"Go for it, man."

"Aren't you hungry or something?"

"Yeah, I'm going to go get something to eat.  I just wanted to make sure you weren't going to pass up one of the best things that could ever happen to you."

Keith didn't respond.

  
A few moments later, Lance slipped from the room.

**********************************************************************

After a battle, the guys rode high on adrenaline for a while.  Allura joined them in the room they had chosen to be the rec room.  They all talked and laughed, played games and ate.  She was swept right up into their comradeship. 

"When you compare their fighter ships to the Lions, they have nothing," Pidge said.

  
"It's not really de fighters ve need to vorry about, its de robeasts," Sven pointed out.

"Koran said the robeasts are created by Haggar, that explains the difficulty we have fighting them," Hunk said.  "They have a magical root."  
  


Allura nodded, "Having a witch on their side has given them an edge over not only Arus, but many other planets as well."

"So you think ve should target de vitch?"  Sven asked.

"Well, we certainly need to look out for her.  She's pure evil and has a deep connection with Zarkon and Lotor."

"How long have they been a problem?"  Hunk asked.

  
Allura sighed, "Too long."  
  


"Vhy didn't you contact de Garrison sooner?"  

"We did, Sven, but they thought we were too far gone, too unimportant.  They sent us young, inexperienced fighters, almost like this was more a training exercise than a battle.  It wasn't until they began to realize there might be some truth to the Voltron fable that they sent you guys."  Allura explained.

"Stupid bureaucrats," Lance mumbled.

"But things are starting to look up," Allura smiled at the men gathered around her.

"Yep," Lance grinned back at her.  "We're here now, so you have nothing to fear."  
  


"Except Lance's flirting," Pidge pointed out.

Lance threw a cushion at his teammate, bouncing it off his head.

"Children, behave," Sven said lazily.

"I don't think its _Lance_ she needs to worry about," Hunk whispered to Pidge.

Sven cleared his throat and glared at the two of them.

Allura stood, "I'm going to check with the Captain and then turn in for the night."

"Vould you like me to come vith you?"

"No, that's not necessary."

"Make sure you lock your door," Lance called as she left.

Keith sat in Castle Control, watching the monitors, following the radars.  So far it had been clear all night, but he still felt uneasy.  He turned when he heard the door slide open and jumped to his feet.  "Your Highness."

"Please, Captain, sit.  How is everything looking?"  Allura asked as she crossed the room.

  
"So far so good."

"But you still think they're up to something."

"Yeah."

Allura nodded and looked down at the console.  She had come to trust Keith's instincts.  "So, what?  Are you going to stay up all night?"

"Nah, I don't think that would be very productive.  I'm off in an hour, but we'll be out at practice at 0530."

Allura watched him, quietly.  He had his head bowed, flipping through the day's log.  A lock of raven hair fell across his forehead and she felt a strong urge to reach up and brush it aside.  _What is with me?_  She thought to herself.  _Yeah, okay, so he is a smart, handsome man, but he obviously doesn't like me.  He is here to do a job and I have to think about my planet and my people, not some silly crush.  Crush?  What?  No, I do not have a crush on the Captain.  Oh, what is with me!?  _

"Princess?"

Allura jumped and looked at Keith, "I'm sorry what?"

"Are you okay?  You look a little upset."

She felt the heat rise to her face and felt her temper rise with it.  "Of course I'm upset!  My planet is in danger, we are constantly under attack.  What?  Should I be dancing a jig?"  Grabbing her skirts, Allura whirled around and stormed from the room.

"I can't seem to do anything right where's she's concerned," Keith mumbled.

_{{  "Oh now you're making me sound mean," Allura protested._

_"Ah, but you could never be mean, my fair Queen," Lance responded._

_Pidge__ snorted, "When did you turn into Dr. Seuss?"_

_"About ten minutes ago, around about the same time you hit puberty," Lance retorted._

_"Hey now," Becca called out._

_"Daddy," Schuyler yawned.  "What's puberty?"_

_Lance looked down, surprised.  Schuyler had crawled onto the couch between him and Darcy and had rested her head on Darcy's shoulder.  Lance had assumed she had fallen asleep.  He raised his gaze and looked at Darcy.  She grinned at him._

_"Ja, Lance, vhat is puberty?"  Sven asked, innocently._

_Lance gently chucked Schuyler under the chin, "Ask me again in four years, kiddo."_

_Keith coughed, but it sounded suspiciously like "Chicken."_

_"Puberty," Darcy whispered to her daughter.  "Is that time of life when Daddy doesn't let you play with the boys any more."_

_"Okay, okay," Romelle spoke up.  "Continue with the story."_

_"And stop making us sound like a couple of jerks," Keith added._

_"I calls it as I sees it," Lance said.  "Anyway, Keith and Allura continued to ignore their feelings for each other, which meant they took their frustrations out on themselves and everyone else…  }}_


	3. The Start Of A Comfortable Friendship

Hi All!

Sorry for the delay, but with the holidays coming and the various visitors who are coming and the visits I will be making, I don't have as much time to write as I would like.  But I am working on this story and I will continue to post as often as possible.

Thank you so much for your reviews, I really do appreciate them and I take all of your suggestions into consideration.

Enjoy,  
Failte

****************************************************************

The next morning, Sven made his way to the gym.  Practice had been uneventful but clean.  They all seemed to have bonded with their lions, making flight easy and natural.

The door to the gym slid open and Sven saw Keith working the weight machine.  He didn't know how long the Captain had been there, but dark Vs of sweat marked his chest and back and his hair hung limp and damply around his face.

"How's it going, Keit?"  Sven asked as he crossed to the mats to start stretching.

"Fine," Keith puffed.

"Practice vent vell."

"Uh huh."

"The Princess seemed happy."

"Uh huh."

"I overheard her telling Lance she tought you had a cute butt."

"Uh huh…what?"  Keith stopped and looked at his friend.

"Just making sure you vere listening," Sven grinned.  

"You guys are idiots."

"Ve're idiots?  You're de von who von't go for it."

Keith stood and angrily turned to Sven, "What is with you guys?  There is nothing, I repeat, _nothing between the Princess and me.  We need to work together.  Yeah, she's pretty and smart, but I don't have feelings for her."  
  
_

"Vhat if she has feelings for you?"  
  


"She doesn't."

"Are you sure about dat?"

"Sven, this is really starting to piss me off.  Why do you and Lance seem to think the Princess and I should hook up?  It can never be.  So just drop it before I have you both reassigned to the far end of Hoth."

"I'm Norwegian, de cold doesn't bother me dat much."  
  


Keith snarled and grabbed his towel, heading for the showers.

The hot water pounded down on Keith as he tried to wash away his irritation.  The stress of the job was getting to him and he had been taking it out on the Princess.  She didn't deserve that and regardless of what his feelings might be, he owed it to her to be more respectful of her and her feelings.  He had been acting immature and irrational, it had to stop.  He was Captain Keith Whitaker, leader of the Voltron Force and it was about time he behaved like it.

*********************************************************

Allura sat in her study, the report Koran had given her about the current state of Arus and the people in the caves sat unread on her desk.  She was sitting back in her chair watching the wind whip the tree tops of the woods through the large window behind her desk.  Dark clouds had been moving in all morning, but no rain had fallen.  Nanny had been complaining that her knee was stiff, a sure sign of impending rain.  

With a sigh, Allura whirled her chair around to face her desk again and the file in front of her.  As hard as she tried to concentrate on the work at hand, her mind kept wandering to a certain dark haired commander.  More than anything, she wanted to know why he didn't like her, why he seemed so miserable about being on Arus.  Maybe she should talk to Koran and see about getting him replaced, this obviously wasn't working out.

She jumped slightly at the knock on her door.  Grabbing her communicator she called out, "Who's there?"

"It's Captain Whitaker, Your Highness."

Surprised, she granted him entrance and slipped her communicator back into the pocket of her skirt.  "Please, sit down," she indicated the chair opposite her desk.

Keith sat on the edge of the chair, his back ramrod straight, and he stared directly into her brilliant blue eyes.  All thought escaped him.

"What can I do for you, Captain?"  Allura folded her hands on top of her desk and leaned forward.

"I, uh, I wanted to apologize, Princess, for my behavior yesterday.  I was short tempered and rude."

She nodded, "Apology accepted, Captain.  We are all under a great deal of stress right now."

"And I was thinking about what you said."

Allura raised her eyebrows and waited for him to continue.  
  


"About us…being friends, that is.  You're right.  We are under a lot of stress but I think we will all be able to handle it better if we handle it together."

She smiled, "I couldn't have said it better myself, Captain."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that," Keith said.  "You aren't one of my men, I would like it if you called me Keith, there's no need to be that formal."

"Alright, Keith," she tried out his name, enjoying the way if felt.  "As long as you extend the same courtesy to me."

He nodded, "Sounds good, Allura."

She suppressed a shiver as he said her name.  He had some kind of an accent, she wasn't sure what it was, but she knew he was from somewhere Lance had called upstate New York and she loved listening to him.  "I'm so glad you came to speak to me about this, I have to admit it has been a bit awkward."

"Yeah, sorry about that, I, uh, I don't always know how to handle my feelings."  
  


"Your feelings?"  Allura asked.

"Yes, I hope you don't think I'm being to forward Prin…Allura, but I have to tell you how much I love you, I want you, I need you."  As he spoke, Keith stood and leaned across the desk.

Allura rose to her feet and leaned forward to meet him, "Oh, I love you too, Keith, so much."  
  


He grabbed her by the shoulders and threw her down on the desk, kissing her passionately…

_{{  "LANCE!"  Keith hissed._

_"What?" He asked, innocently._

_"If you're going to tell the story, tell it right," Keith said._

_"How much of that was true?"  Becca asked._

_"Oh, up until the part where we agreed to be friends and drop our titles," Allura told her._

_"Okay, I tink it's time I took over," Sven spoke up.  _

_Keith shifted Cady on his lap so her head rested more comfortable on his shoulder, "Please do."  
  
_

_"Vell, dis started a friendship between de two of dem and de whole atmosphere of de castle changed…"  }}_

"Do you really think this is safe, Your Highness?"  Nanny asked, nervously.

"Yes, I do," Allura watched as the Voltron Force and a handful of guards loaded baskets of fruit and other foods onto a cart.  "We haven't had an attack in nearly a week and the Force will be with me as guards.  We'll still be close enough to the castle that if anything happens, we'll be here immediately."

Nanny shook her head, "I still don't think you should leave."

"I need to be in touch with my people, Nanny, show them that we are finally starting to succeed in our battle against Doom.  I need them to know the Voltron Force as we do, as hardworking, good men here to protect us."

Keith jogged over to the Princess, an easy smile on his lips, "We're all packed and ready to head out, Allura."  
  


Nanny sniffed disapprovingly.  She did not like the way the members of the Force were so familiar with the Princess.

"Great, Keith," Allura smiled back.  "We'll head out then.  I would like to be back before nightfall."

Keith offered her his arm and she gently laid her hand in the crook of his elbow.

"It's a beautiful day to meet with the townspeople," Keith said, conversationally as they walked toward the cart.

"It is," she agreed.  "I am so excited, I can't tell you the last time I went to visit them without bad news, but rather to share something good with them."

She had a spring in her step that served to widen Keith's smile.  There were two sides to Princess Allura.  She was an intelligent, powerful leader with wisdom beyond her years.  But she was also a young woman with a naiveté that made him want to shield her from all the horrors of war and life.  "You look very nice today," he whispered as he helped her unto the cart.

Allura blushed slightly at his compliment and brushed at the skirt of her best pink dress.  "Thank you."

Lance grinned at Sven.  The entire Force had watched as their Captain and the Princess grew closer.  To everyone around them, their feelings were obvious.  The guys thought it was great, but Koran and Nanny did not seem to approve of their friendship.

"Here, Cap," Hunk held the reins to the horses out to Keith.  "Why don't you steer this ship."

With a shrug, Keith hoisted himself up on the bench beside Allura.  "Everyone ready?"  He called over his shoulder.

Pidge and Lance hopped onto the cart while Hunk and Sven walked along side.  It was a short trip to the caves where the people of Arus continued to live.  A message had been sent ahead a few days earlier so they knew their Princess and the Voltron Force were coming.  Two guards stood at the cave opening and as soon as they saw the cart approaching, one of the guards entered to announce the arrival.

  
Keith couldn't help but notice how Allura kept tugging and smoothing her skirt, like she couldn't stop moving her hands.

"Are you okay?"  He whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

"Yes," she breathed, barely audible.

"We're here with you."

Allura smiled softly at his reassurance, "Thank you."

Lance hopped off the back of the cart and raced ahead, "Ladies and gentlemen!  We come bearing food and good news!"

Allura giggled, "He's crazy."

"Among other things," Keith muttered, feeling a tug of jealousy.  Whereas he and Allura had fallen into a comfortable friendship, he couldn't help but notice how she and Lance got along.  They had hit it off the second the guys had landed on Arus.  Lance could make her laugh and he flirted easily with her.  Keith had laid down the law and made it clear that none of them were allowed to romantically pursue the Princess, but there were times he wondered how far Lance was going to push it.

A large number of people poured out of the cave opening.  Men, women, children.  It was the children who were the most open, they walked right up to the members of the Force and the Princess, chattering.

Keith smiled as he handed a melon to a woman, cradling a baby in her arms.  Nearby, Allura crouched to eye level with a young girl in an old dress and handed her an apple.  Lance made a game of being chased by three little boys, teasing them with oranges while Hunk showed off, juggling some melons for a small gathering.  

Allura went to speak with the two men who served as elders.

"Excuse me."

Keith turned to see a young woman, "Yes, Ma'am?"

"You-You're the leader of Voltron, aren't you?"  She asked hesitantly.

"Yes, I'm Captain Whitaker and you are?"

"Euclida Remikad.  My father is an elder."  She was a lovely young woman with long red hair and big green eyes.  

Keith bowed, "It's an honor, Euclida."

Lance looked up and saw Keith talking to a rather attractive redhead.  He shifted his gaze to Allura and saw her looking back and forth between the men she was talking to and Keith.  A grin spread across his face as he noticed the flicker of jealousy in the Princess' eyes.  Shaking his head, Lance wandered over to the far side of where everyone was gathered.

Allura's attention was diverted as she watched Keith talk with the young woman, she was Calren Remikad's daughter, a very beautiful, smart woman.  She was known to turn many a man's head and now she was turning Keith's head.  Allura tried to ignore and deny the feelings of jealousy rising within her.  

"Your Highness?"

Allura snapped to attention and looked back at Calren, "Yes, I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"I was saying that we've decided that we want to start planning the rebuilding of our towns.  It seems, with the Voltron Force we have a fighting chance to finally move on.  Now our next step is too…"  He stopped when there was a sudden commotion.

Allura looked over to see Lance run over to Keith, soon joined by Pidge and Hunk.  Keith snapped into soldier mode and started to give orders before he and Lance raced off.

Hunk jogged over to Allura, "Princess, we have to go back to the castle now and everyone needs to return to the caves.  Lotor's witch was spotted and has attacked Sven."

"Is he alright?"  Allura asked, looking toward the direction of where Keith and Lance had just run.

"I don't know, but we need to go now!"  Hunk insisted, taking Allura's arm.

Pidge helped the elders usher everyone back into the caves while Hunk helped Allura onto the cart and snapped the reins.  Allura kept glancing over her shoulder, her heart in her throat.  She was worried about the three men.  They were her friends and the last great hope her planet had for survival.

_{{   Sven stopped, unable to continue with the story and a heavy silence filled the room.  Romelle took his hand in hers, squeezing gently._

_Keith cleared his throat, "I think it's a good place to stop for now and tuck little ones into bed."_

_"I wanna hear the rest of the story," Cady yawned._

_"Some other time, sweetie," Allura told her, scooping Tess up into her arms._

_Darcy ushered Declan and Gideon out of the room, followed by Lance who carried a sleeping Schuyler.  Erik and Delora followed quietly and sleepily, kissing their parents goodnight.  The girls were all excited at the prospect of having a sleepover while the boys were just tired.  Hunk helped Paton to her feet so she could take advantage of the pause in the story to make a trip to the bathroom._

_Pidge__ stood and stretched, offering Becca a hand and pulling her to her feet, "Let's go grab a drink before we continue with the story."_

_Left alone for a moment, Romelle wrapped her arms around Sven and hugged his tense body.  His attack was the white elephant in the room.  It was always there, but they never discussed it.  He was left scarred, both physically and emotionally.  It had ended his career with the Garrison and had left him feeling helpless and worthless._

_"I love you so much," she whispered._

_"I'm fine," he whispered back._

_"I know you are, I just want you to know how much I love you and we don't have to stay if you don't want to.  We can go to bed, they'll understand."_

_Sven shook his head, "No, really, I'm fine, love."_

_Romelle__ laid her head on his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around her and they waited for the others to return.  _}}__


	4. A New Blue Pilot

_{{  It was nearly half an hour before Allura, Keith, Darcy, and Lance returned to the rec room.  Hunk and Paton and Pidge and Becca had all returned and were now laughing and talking._

_"And den Keit actually tought Allura and Lance vere…" Sven cut off when he saw them enter the room.  "How'd it go?"_

_"Fine," Keith told him.  "Everyone is in bed under Nanny's  watchful eye.  What were you telling them before we came in?"_

_"Ve vere just reminiscing, telling Paton and Becca about de time Lance vas injured and…"  
  
_

_"No, no, no," Lance interrupted.  "You're jumping around the story now, we have to tell it in order."_

_"Den I take it you are going to pick up vhere I left off?"  Sven asked._

_"I could," Lance flopped onto the couch._

_"Only if you tell it right," Allura said._

_Lance laid a hand over his heart, "I solemnly swear, Your Highness."_

_Darcy snorted as she sat down beside him._

_"Hey, a little support here," he muttered, throwing his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him._

_"Your reputation precedes you," Pidge said._

_Darcy pushed Lance away, "Just stick to the truth, Lance, I haven't heard the whole story either and I want to."_

_"Okay, okay, I promise to stick to the story.  Besides, with the way Keith and Allura behaved, I really don't need to embellish.  So where were we?"  Lance rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  "Oh yeah, we were short a pilot and somewhere, Allura got the idea that she could fly…"_

_"Hey," Allura interrupted.  "I knew what I was doing."_

_Pidge snorted, Hunk stifled a laugh, and Keith looked everywhere but at her._

_"Uh, yeah, sure, okay," Lance rolled his eyes.  "Anyway, Allura wanted to fly, but Nanny and Koran were against it, so they dragged Keith into the fray…  }}_

Keith slouched in the chair opposite Koran's desk and watched as Allura argued with her advisor.

"You know this is what my father would want," Allura insisted.  "I can do this.  I have been working out with the Force and with some training I can fly Blue.  I have been around the Lions my entire life, I can do it and you know that!"

"We cannot allow you to put your life in danger like this, Your Higness."  Koran said calmly.

"Every day that we at war with Doom my life is in danger!  As well as the lives of my people and the Force!"

Koran sighed and rubbed his face with his hands before turning to the young man sitting across from him.  
  
Keith tensed and sat upright, dreading what was about to come.

"Captain, what do you think?"  Koran asked.

Keith looked down at his hands, avoiding the gazes of both Koran and Allura.  On one hand he knew Allura could do it.  She was strong and intelligent and she seemed to know the Lions almost as well as they did.  If she could bond with Blue in the same way he and the others had bonded with their Lions, it might just work.  On the other hand, he didn't want her so out in the open and in such obvious danger.  He now considered her a friend and he was worried for her danger, more so than he would almost anyone else.

"Captain?"  Koran interrupted his thoughts.

Keith slowly looked up and took in the determined expression on the Princess' face and the exhausted look on Koran's.   "I think we should give her a try.  What could it hurt?  If we start training her and it works out, great.  If not, then she comes back to the castle."

Koran pursed his lips.  He knew there was something going on between the Princess and the Captain and he had hoped that would put Keith on his side, wanting to keep Allura safe.  "I don't agree.  The Princess is the last of the ruling family.  If anything were to happen to her, what would we do?"

Keith stood, "Then I guess we had better not let anything happen to her."  Allura smiled at him and Keith was sure his heart would burst right through his chest.

"Thank you, Captain," she said, graciously.  "I will do my best and I promise not to disappoint."  
  


"I don't think you could, Your Highness."

Koran cleared his throat.  "If you are actually going to do this, I think you should start training as soon as possible.  We don't know when our next attack will be."

"Of course," Allura looked down at the pink gown she was wearing.  "I guess I should change out of this.  I'll meet you in Castle Control in ten minutes, Keith."

He nodded, "I'll gather the rest of the guys so we can all practice together."

"Captain?"  Koran stopped him before he could follow the Princess out of the room.

  
"Yes, Koran?"

"I want you to know that I do not approve of this."

"I know."

"If anything happens to the Princess, I will personally hold you responsible."

"I understand, Koran, but in all honesty, Allura wants to do this."

"I know the _Princess_," Koran put emphasis on her title, "thinks she wants to do this but she doesn't know what she is getting herself into."

Keith felt a lick of anger.  How dare Koran put Allura down.  She wasn't stupid, she was fully aware of what was going on.  "Don't worry Koran, she will be fine.  I swear I won't let anything happen to her."  With that, he turned on his heel and left the room.

"Are you serious?"  Lance asked, incredulously.

"Very," Keith sighed.  He had called the others into Castle Control and broken the news to them.

"But how can we replace Sven with the Princess?"  Hunk asked.

"Yeah, Sven is a trained pilot, the Princess has never even flown a Lion."  Pidge pointed out.

"Are you so sure about that?"

The four pilots turned to see Allura enter the room.  She had changed into a pink flightsuit, similar to the ones they wore, her hair was pulled back into a bun, and she had tucked a helmet under her arm.

"You've flown a Lion?"  Keith asked her.

"Well, I've been around the Lions my entire life," she crossed the room.  "I know their history better than any of you, I grew up hearing the stories and being taught to respect them.  I just have this feeling that I will be able to fly Blue as well as Sven before long."

Keith rubbed at the knot of tension gathering at the back of his neck, "Alright.  Well, I think someone should ride with you the first time."

"Who?"  Lance asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I was thinking Pidge," Keith told him.

"Sounds good, let's go," Allura dashed to the entrance tube to Blue.

********************************************************************

Keith had to admit he was very impressed with the way Allura handled Blue.  In the beginning she was a little shaky, but they had all been the first time they had been in the Lions.  But within an hour, she was flying in formation and swooping around the meadow with Lance and Red.

"Way to go, Princess!"  Lance whooped as they entered Castle Control and swept her into his arms, dancing around the room.

"You were amazing," Hunk told her.

Keith took Pidge aside.  "We saw it from the monitors, Pidge, but how was she, really, in the cockpit?"

Pidge pushed his glasses up his nose, "Really?  She was great, Keith.  I mean, she was a little uneasy at first, but once she got a hold of the controls and Blue accepted the fact that she wasn't Sven, the Princess did a great job."

Keith nodded.

"I think she can do it," Pidge whispered.

"Alright," the Captain's voice cut through the talking.  "Princess, if you are going to be a member of the Voltron Force, you will need to partake in practice, starting every morning at 0600 sharp.  You will also be expected to take part in our daily workouts and target practice."

Allura stood upright and saluted, "Yes, sir."

A smile tugged at the corner of Keith's mouth, "You're all dismissed, Hunk you're on duty."

Allura walked over to Keith, "What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to contact Planet Ebb, check on Sven's progress."

She nodded sympathetically, "Please keep me updated."

"I will."

"You did an amazing job, Allura," Lance appeared at their side.  "And I think that deserves something special."  
  
"Like what?"  Allura smiled sweetly at him.

  
"I was thinking ice cream, interested?"

"Of course."  She took his arm and allowed him to lead her out of Castle Control.  

Keith watched, his jaw twitching.

"They're just friends."

Keith turned and looked at Hunk, "What?"

"They're just friends.  Lance sees her like one of his sisters."  Hunk told him.

"Whatever, I don't care."  
  


The big man nodded, "Sure."

"I'm going to call Ebb."

"Let me know what they have to say."  
  


"I will."

******************************************************************************

It was nearly one in the morning and Keith couldn't sleep.  With a deep sigh, he pushed back the covers and stood, stretching his arms above his head.  Feeling restless, he wandered from his room and down the hall, finding his way to the Observation Deck.  It was eerily quiet in the castle this late at night.  Every so often, he heard the click of boots on the polished floor as a guard passed by on his rounds.

It was a clear night.  Keith crossed to stand in front of the window.  The stars were visible and two of Arus' three moons could be seen.  He rested his forehead against the cool glass of the window and sighed.  Keith loved his job, he loved working with his team and leading them into battle.  But there were times he wished he could take a couple of days off, leave all of this behind.

The call to Planet Ebb earlier in the day had not been a good one.  Sven was slowly recovering, but he may never again have full use of his right arm and he was going to have nerve damage.  They had told him that they wouldn't know the true extent of Sven's injuries for a while yet, but it was looking less and less likely that he would be returning any time soon.

And that brought forth another issue.  Princess Allura and her flying Blue.  She had shown a true talent earlier in the day, but it was going to be a while before she was ready for battle.  Word had reached them that afternoon that Doom was active and an attack could be coming at any moment.  Could she really fight with Voltron?  What if something did happen to her?  She was the last in the line of Arusian rulers, the planet would be screwed.  And she was his…friend.  If anything happened to her, he didn't know what he would do.

Keith whirled around, ripped from his thoughts at a quiet rustling sound.  He instinctively reached for his blaster and silently cursed himself when he realized he didn't have it with him.

"I, uh, I didn't mean to bother you," Allura whispered.  She had slipped into the room, wearing a sheer white robe over a conservative white nightgown.  It covered her from throat to ankle and it caused Keith to momentarily stop breathing.

"You're not, you just startled me," he muttered, sounding crankier than he was.

"Sorry, I'll go."  She turned to leave.

"No, don't go."  
  


Allura turned back and looked at him, surprise evident on her face.

"I mean, it's not safe for you to be up wandering the castle alone this late at night," he explained weakly.

She nodded, "What are you doing up?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing."

"Oh, I have a lot on my mind, can't really seem to sleep."

Keith gave her a half smile, "Me either.  Want to talk about it?"

Feeling silly, Allura crossed to stand beside him, looking out over the countryside of her beloved planet.  "Just a million things running through my mind.  Doom, Sven, flying Blue, Sven, Doom, you know, the usual.  What about you?"

He shrugged, "Doom, Sven, you flying Blue…the usual."

"Now you're mocking me."

"Never."

Allura unconsciously raised her hand to rest on the window, "Arus used to be so beautiful.  Before Doom.  I have so many memories of the rolling green hills, big beautiful trees, and my mother's garden.  It was right over there."  She pointed to a worn piece of land, it was brown with random clumps of grass and wildflowers growing between two large trees.

"We can replant it," Keith told her.  "Before you know it, Arus will be back to its former beauty."

She looked up at him with wet, tired eyes, "When you say it, I can almost believe it."

He studied her, wanting nothing more than to take her in his arms and soothe her fears and worries.  "Believe it, Allura," he whispered.

"I don't know what we would do if you hadn't shown up."

"You would have found a way to survive, you're the strongest person I've ever known."

The compliment brought a blush to her cheeks and she looked down.

Finding a form of courage he never knew he had, Keith reached up and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up at him.  "It will be alright."

A single tear fell from her eye and it startled Keith.  In the time he had been here, he had never seen her cry and it broke him a little.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, embarrassed, wiping the back of her hand over her cheek.

"Don't be."  He was suddenly aware of how close she was.   How she was leaning toward him and she had yet to remove his hand from her face.  He let go of her chin and thought he heard her sigh disappointedly.  

"Are you going to visit Sven?"  Allura asked, trying to change the subject.

"As soon as we can.  We can't leave Arus unprotected right now."  
  


She shook her head and looked up at him.  "I don't know how you do it, Keith.  You have so much pressure on you and yet you can handle it all so well and keep everyone together.  I think I would've cracked a long time ago."

"No you wouldn't have."  He assured her, locking his gaze with hers.

There was an electricity in the air and they both felt it, but neither had the nerve to act on it.  Keith knew he had no right to act on his feelings for her.  She was royalty and deserved the best.  

"Keith," she breathed his name.

He reached up and lightly brushed his fingertips over her cheek.  She shivered and he felt it pass through his body.  Allura leaned closer to him, anticipating and hoping for her first kiss.  Keith cupped her cheek, enjoying the feel of her warm soft skin against the roughness of his palm.  She felt so fragile and he was overtaken by the urge to sweep her away from all this and shield her from the war. 

His body moved of its own accord as he leaned closer, watching as her eyes slowly closed.

"Princess!"

They jumped apart at the sound of Nanny's shrill voice.

"What are you doing?"  The older woman swept angrily into the room.  "It's late, you're up here alone with a man!  And for shame, Captain!  You know better!  I can't believe you were taking advantage of the Princess…"  
  


"Nanny!"  Allura interrupted.  "No one was taking advantage of anyone."

Nanny took her roughly by the arm, "You're too young to understand how men behave.  Come along.  And if I ever catch you alone with the Captain or any other of those ruffians late at night, you will be in big trouble."  
  
Allura looked over her shoulder at Keith as she was dragged from the room and flashed him a weak smile.


	5. One On One Practice

"…and the Princess was all alone with the Captain!"  Nanny exclaimed.  "He was taking advantage of her at a vulnerable moment, I think he should be sent away, bring in a commander who knows his place!"

Lance stood just outside Koran's study.  He had been on his way to the kitchen for breakfast when he heard Nanny's voice rise through the door, telling Koran what she had walked in on the night before.

"Calm down, Nanny," Koran sighed.  "I'm sure you misunderstood.  The Captain would never take advantage of the Princess."

"Yeah, Koran," Lance whispered.  "You tell her."

"I know what I saw," Nanny retorted.  "And I do not approve of it nor do I approve of her flying.  What would King Alfor say?  I'll tell you what he'd say, 'Are you out of your mind, Koran?'  She is a child and untrained.  This will be the death of her and it will be all on your head and that of the Captain's!"

Lance jumped back and hid in a corner when he heard the door slide open and Nanny stormed angrily out of the room.  As soon as she turned down the other corridor, Lance left his hiding place and went straight to Castle Control.  He knew Keith was on duty and he was determined to get to the bottom of what Nanny had been saying.  

Keith stood over the main console, watching the radar.  In the back of his mind, he replayed what had happened the night before.  It had been wrong of him to even think he could touch the Princess.  It had gotten entirely out of hand and he had to make sure it never happened again.  But it wasn't going to be easy for him.  The feel of her skin under his hand, how warm and soft she had felt.  He couldn't help but wonder what she felt like under her nightgown.  Whoa!  Where had that come from?  Keith shook his head, trying to remove any impure thought he had of the Princess.

"Practice went well this morning," Lance said, walking up behind him.

Keith jumped, startled from his thoughts.

  
Lance grinned.  It was nearly impossible to sneak up on the Captain, his mind was obviously elsewhere.  "You okay, Keith?"

He nodded, "Yeah, Lance, what's up?"

"Just thought I would check in on you, see how you were doing."

Keith looked up at him, confused, "I'm fine, why?"

"Well, practice did go well this morning, but I couldn't help but notice a little tension between you and the Princess."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Keith mumbled.

"So," Lance leaned on the console and took in the dark expression on his commander's face.  "What happened last night?"

Keith looked up, surprised, "What are you talking about?"

"I overheard Nanny telling Koran she saw you and the Princess last night and you were taking advantage of our fair young monarch."

Lance took a step back.  For the first time in all the years he had known Keith, Lance was afraid of him.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Keith snarled.

"Hey," Lance held his hands up defensively.  "I just wanted to say good for you, man.  She is an amazing woman and I think it's about time.  You guys are perfect for each other."

Keith slammed the log he had been holding down on the console and turned to face Lance completely.  "Why can't you get it through your thick skull, Lieutenant?  There is nothing between the Princess and me!"  He sighed and lowered his voice in defeat, "She's royalty and I'm…well, I'm nobody."

"You're somebody, Keith, you're my best friend and the greatest commander I've ever known."

"I'm the only commander who can put up with you."

"Seriously, man, don't sell yourself short," Lance laid a hand on Keith's shoulder.  "She doesn't care what you do for a living, she likes you for the great guy you are."

Keith shook his head, "But I'm not enough."

Lance rolled his eyes and threw his hands in the air, "You're an idiot is what you are, Keith."

"Watch it, Lieutenant."

"Oh, don't pull rank on me, Keith.  I am talking to you now as your friend, not your second.  Screw Nanny!  Go for it or you will regret it the rest of your life!"

"You'll regret what?"  Allura walked into the room.  "And what are you doing to Nanny?"

"Nothing," Keith told her.  "Lance is just being a moron."

"Yeah, well, this moron has to go, uh, find Hunk…or something."  Lance bowed to the Princess and left Castle Control.

Keith suddenly found himself alone with Allura for the first time since the night before and he was finding it difficult to speak.  

Using the pretence of checking the radar, she moved to stand next to him.  Allura stood close enough to feel the heat coming from him and she could smell the clean scent of his soap.  She couldn't place the exact smell, but she liked it and it was decidedly Keith.  He stood stiffly beside her and made no move.  Deep down, she hoped he would finish what they had started the night before, but she couldn't make the first step, it would be unladylike.

"How is everything going?"  She asked quietly, gently laying her hand on his arm.

Keith felt warmth spread through him at her touch.  Having her so close clouded his senses and made it hard for him to think, "Huh?"

"I asked how everything was going?"

He cleared his throat, "Uh, everything's been clear so far today."

"Good.  I like hearing that," she smiled up at him.

"Look, Princess, about last night…"

Allura looked up at him expectantly.

"I was totally out of line, I'm sorry.  It was late, I had a lot on my mind and I was tired.  I'm sorry."

Allura nodded curtly, hoping her disappointment and hurt didn't show.  "No need to apologize, Captain.  I think we both got caught up in the moment."

Keith wanted to say something else, but he didn't know what.   He opened his mouth but stopped when he noticed a blip on the radar's screen.

"What is it?"  Allura asked.

"I don't know," he muttered, opening a line of communications.  "You are entering Arusian airspace, state your name and business."

There was no response.

"Repeat!  You are entering Arusian airspace, state your name and business!"  Keith called louder.

More blips entered the screen.  Without waiting for a response, Keith sounded the castle alarms.  Moments later, Hunk, Pidge, Lance, and Koran all raced into Castle Control.

"Unidentified ships have entered our airspace."  Keith explained.  "We need to get up there and investigate.  To your Lions, boys…and, uh, Princess."

Once they were in the air, Keith opened his line to Castle Control.  "How many are there, Koran?"

"Looks to be about eight, they're all in formation," Koran told him.

The Doom fighters came into view, swooping toward the castle and opening fire.  The five lions circled around and began returning fire, taking down three ships.

"Any signs of a coffin?"  Lance asked.

"Not yet," Koran replied.

"Watch out Lance!"  Hunk shouted.

A shot rocked Red, tossing Lance around a bit.  "What the hell was that?"

"They have some new kind of weapon!"  Pidge said.  

A shot hit Black while another hit the castle.

"It's firing out of the front, try and get around the back of each fighter!"  Keith instructed, taking down another ship.

Two of the fighters turned on Blue.

"Princess!"  Hunk shouted, shooting down another ship.

Allura opened fire and skimmed the one fighter, she was still in training and had yet to perfect her targeting skills.  

  
Lance was the closest, he flew in front of the two Doom ships, taking two shots from the new guns.  Keith dove, catching Red by her tail before she crashed into the lake.  Hunk, Pidge, and the Princess made short work of the last three ships and turned to land their Lions by Red and Black.

_{{  Darcy unconsciously slid closer to Lance, laying her head on his shoulder.  She had heard about this attack, but it never failed to unnerve her whenever they talked about any injuries he sustained.  Lance wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head._

_"Okay, I was pretty out of it at this point, I think someone else really needs to take over the story for now," he told them._

_"I think I can fill in a few holes here," Hunk spoke up._

_"But you have to tell it like it is," Sven said.  "No sugarcoating."_

_Hunk sat up straighter, "I know, I know.  So, Lance and Red were on the ground…  }}_

"Lance!"  Keith called through his communicator as he unstrapped his belts.  "Come on, Lance, answer me."

Hunk, Pidge, and Allura all climbed from their Lions and raced toward Red.

"Is he alright?"  Allura asked Keith.

"He's not answering," Keith looked up at Red, noticing how a few bolts of electricity raced over Red.

"Do you think it's safe?"  Allura whispered, stepping closer to Keith.

"Wait a second," Pidge said.  "I think whatever that new weapon was involved some form of electricity, using the metal of the Lion as conductors."  A couple of more electric currents shot over Red.  "He took two big hits."

"We can't just leave him in there," Keith said angrily.

"Would you rather get electrocuted?"

"When can we go in?"

"When you notice the electricity is no longer coursing through."

"It looks clear," Hunk said a moment later.

Without hesitation, Keith stepped forward, but was stopped when Allura grabbed his arm.

"Are you sure it's safe?"  She asked, nervously.

"We have to get him out of there."

She nodded, "Just…be careful."

Hunk and Pidge couldn't help but notice the look that passed between the Princess and their Captain and they suddenly felt as though they were intruding on something very private.

"Cap?"  Hunk asked.

Keith ripped his gaze from Allura and looked at his men, "Come on, lets get him out of there."

Lance was unconscious when they opened the hatch.  A thin trickle of blood ran from beneath his helmet and he was unresponsive.

"Princess, run inside and tell Dr. Gorma we're coming in with a patient!"  Keith yelled down.

Without another word, she turned and raced into the castle while Keith and Hunk lifted Lance from the cockpit.

**************************************************************

A couple of hours later, Keith made his way to the hospital wing.  He and Hunk had carried Lance to the hospital where they waited while Dr. Gorma examined him.  Lance had a concussion and a sprained wrist.  After learning that he would be fine, Keith went to oversee the return of the Lions to their hiding places and then to write up a report on the attack.

Hunk was on duty and Pidge was hanging with him while they discussed the new weapon Doom had and how they could fight back against it.  Allura had spent the afternoon in Lance's hospital room and that was where Keith found her.

She was sitting beside his bed, holding his hand and speaking quietly, Keith watched silently, feeling a twinge of jealousy, well, more than a twinge, more like full blown punch in the stomach.  

Allura looked up with tears in her eyes, "He went back to sleep about ten minutes ago."

Keith nodded curtly, "Dr. Gorma said he'll be fine."

She raised her eyebrows, surprised at his reaction.  "What's wrong?"

He shrugged, "He'll be fine."

Allura bit her lip, wondering if she should tell him what was on her mind, "He, uh, he's here because of me."

"No he isn't.  This was done by Doom, by Zarkon."

"If I was a better shot," she looked down at Lance.  "He took those shots for me."

Keith laid a hand on her shoulder, "This isn't your fault, Allura.  He's a soldier.  He would have done the same for me or Hunk or Pidge.  Do not blame yourself."

"I need more target practice."

"We can work on that if it makes you feel better, but make sure you're doing it for the right reasons, not because you feel guilty."

Allura stood abruptly and turned to face him, "Let' start now."

"Now?"  He looked toward the window.  It was still light out, but dusk was approaching.  

"Why put it off?"

Keith glanced at his watch, technically he was off for the evening.

"I want to start now, Captain."

"Alright," he sighed.  "Meet me in Castle Control in ten minutes."  
  


"What's going on, Captain?"  Hunk asked Keith when he entered Castle Control.

"The Princess feels she needs more practice, so she and I are going out to the flatlands."  Keith explained.

Hunk sat back in his chair and gave his commander a questioning look.

"You have something to say, Lieutenant?"

"Me?"  Hunk asked innocently.  "Nope."

"Alright, let's roll," Allura announced.

"We'll be at the flatlands Hunk, just call me on my communicator if anything comes up."  Keith instructed.

"Will do, Cap."

"Alright, Allura, get into Blue and follow me."

She nodded and gave Hunk a small smile before following Keith to the Lions.

Keith opened up a line of communication with the Princess.  "Alright, Allura, we're going to head over to the flatlands.  We have a sort of target range set up over there and we can go through a few formations."

"Sounds good, Captain."

They spent over an hour working on her shooting and honing her flying skills.  Keith had to admit he was impressed.  She was hitting her targets with 85% accuracy, which was amazing considering she had only been at it for a few days.

"You're doing great, Princess," Keith told her over the com line.  "Let's land over by the boulder and take a quick break."

Allura knew he was testing her landings.  The first couple of times she had tried to return Blue to the lake had almost been disastrous.  She watched as Keith glided in for a clean, gentle landing.  Taking a deep breath, she started to descend. 

Keith winced as she hit the ground a little roughly.  Blue shuddered and then lowered her head so the Princess could climb out.  It was going to take a little time for the Lion to accept Allura after she had become accustomed to Sven and it wasn't helping that Allura was still a little timid in the cockpit.

"Alright," Keith walked over to Blue's paw.  "You're doing well with target practice for someone who has just started."

Allura nodded grimly, removing her helmet.

He lowered his tone gently, "Princess, when we take into consideration that you are not a trained pilot or soldier, you have made amazing progress."

"Thank you."

"If I thought you couldn't do this, if I thought you weren't able to handle battle, I wouldn't allow you in Blue."

She looked up at him, touched by his confidence in her, "I know."

"What happened to Lance wasn't your fault, but I also know that I can tell you that over and over and you will still feel guilty."

"I can't help it."  
  


"He'll be fine."

"I know."

Keith leaned against Blue's massive paw.  He wasn't good at this sort of thing.  "Do you want to talk about it, Allura?"

"Talk about what, Keith?"

"Whatever's on your mind."

Whatever's on my mind, she thought.  Let's see, where to begin?  My planet is in constant danger, two of my friends have been injured in battle, and I want you to kiss me like you almost did the night before.

"Princess?"  Keith whispered.

"It's getting late," she murmured.

He raised his gaze to the sky, taking in the beautiful Arusian sunset around them, "Yeah, I suppose it is."

But neither one of them made a move.  It suddenly dawned on Keith just how alone they were and it made his heart race.  There was no Nanny here to interrupt.  But he knew he couldn't do anything about it.  She was a Princess, way beyond him and for him to even think he could pursue her was an insult to Allura and her station.

Allura watched him, trying to read his thought.  Keith's expression never changed, but there was a flicker in his eyes she couldn't seem to place.  For a moment she thought he was going to say something and she hoped against hope that he would touch her again, a brush of his fingers, anything.

"We, uh, we should head in."  He sounded strained when he spoke.

Allura pursed her lips, "Keith, we have a lot going on right now and we need to keep our minds on the task at hand."

He nodded.

"So I think that we should be able to talk about whatever is on our minds."  
  


Raising his eyebrows, he nodded again.

"What's going on, Keith?"

He was shocked at her forwardness, unprepared for the question or for any answer.  "Like, uh, like you said, we have a lot going on."

She searched his face, looking and hoping for some sign that he felt something more, something deeper.

His eyes slowly closed while he gathered strength.  If she continued to look at him like that, he wasn't going to be able to stop himself from just grabbing her and finishing what they started the night before.

  
"Keith?"  Her voice was barely audible.

With effort, he opened his eyes again, "Princess, I…we...I can't."  He looked at her with an expression of utter defeat.

She nodded, biting her lip.

Cursing himself, Keith laid a hand on her shoulder, "I don't really know what I'm trying to say, you're an amazing person and I…admire you more than you could ever know."

Her eyes shined brightly with tears and emotion.

"I count you among my close friends, Allura."

Friend, she thought bitterly.  Of course.  

Keith sighed deeply when his communicator beeped.  "Whitaker."

"Captain," Hunk sounded stressed.  "You need to head back to the Castle."

"Are there ships coming?"

"No, sir."

Keith swallowed hard, "Is it Lance?"

"It's Sven, Keith."

Keith heard Allura gasp and he felt his chest tighten, "What is it Hunk?"

"Doom attacked Ebb, Keith.  Please come back to the Castle."


	6. Mourning

"What's going on?"  Keith demanded.

Hunk, Pidge, and Koran stood by the main console speaking quietly.  Hunk looked up grimly when the Captain and the Princess entered the room. 

"Doom attacked Ebb, pretty much destroying the planet and taking the people as slaves," Hunk told him.

Keith nodded, "Sven?"

"They destroyed the hospital, reports came in that they thought the patients were useless, so they took the doctors and nurses captive and bombed the building," Hunk handed Keith the report that had come down.  

Keith skimmed over the report.  His senses seemed to dull.  He couldn't see right or hear properly.  His voice was caught in his throat and his hands shook.  There was no way Sven was gone.  It couldn't be.  No, God no, not Sven.  

Allura watched as Keith stared unseeingly at the report.  His hand that clutched the paper shook convulsively, but his face appeared calm.

"Captain?"  Pidge asked, timidly.

Keith snapped to attention, "Pidge what did you figure out about Doom's new weapon?"

"Uh, well, I examined Blue and I think it, uh, it's a matter of tweaking our, uh, shields.  No big deal."  He nervously pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Take care of it," Keith ordered gruffly.  "Hunk, stay here and keep me posted on anything else you hear."

"Keith," Allura said quietly.

"What?"

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see if Lance is awake."  He turned back to Hunk.  "I have my communicator on if you need me for anything."

They all watched as Keith walked stiffly out of the room.

"Is…is he going to be alright?"  Allura asked Hunk and Pidge.

Hunk shrugged, "He and Sven had been friends for a long time."

Allura knew better than most what it felt like to lose someone close to you and her heart broke for Keith.  

_{{   "What happened?"  Becca interrupted the story to ask Sven._

_"Vell, I vas captured by von of Zarkon's men who recognized me as von of de Voltron pilots.  Vhen it became obvious that I vas too veak to be a useful slave, dey tossed me into de Pit of Skulls and left me to die."  Sven explained._

_"About a year later I was sent to the Pit of Skulls as well," Romelle explained.  "Sven had survived down there and I found him hiding in the shadows.  It took some time and pleading…"_

_"Bitching," Sven mumbled._

_"Excuse me?"_

_"Noting, darling I love you."_

_Romelle smirked, "Uh huh, whatever.  Anyway, I eventually convinced Sven to help me escape and we ended up contacting the __Castle__ of __Lions__ and letting them know he was alive."_

_"For over a year we thought he was dead," Keith added._

_"Ve ended up helping them escape from Doom.  Romelle vas amazing."  Sven said._

_"And it was the first time I saw Romelle since we were very little children," Allura spoke up.  "Our families had gone their separate ways and we had lost touch many years before."_

_"So not only were you reunited with Sven, Allura was reunited with her family."  Becca commented._

_"Yup," Allura grinned.  "What had started as one of the worst things to happen to us, ended up being one of the best."_

_"But dat is a story for another time," Sven pointed out.  "Ve're trying to point out what a couple of idiots Keit and Allura vere."_

_"Yeah, so stop interrupting," Lance chided his sister-in-law._

_"Come on, Lance," Pidge sighed.  "Don't make me have to kick your ass."_

_"Yeah, I'd like to see you try," Lance snorted._

_"Alright, alright, before this goes any farther, lets continue on with the story," Hunk said, playing the peacekeeper._

_Lance pointed at Pidge threateningly only to have the Green pilot mouth 'Bring it on'._

_Darcy poked her husband in the ribs with her elbow, "Knock it off.  Go ahead, Hunk."_

_The big guy smiled and shook his head, "Okay, so we had just received the bad news about Sven…  }}_

Lance was still asleep when Keith went to check on him, so he left strict orders to be contacted the second Lance woke.  He wanted to be the one to break the news to him.  The three of them had been like brothers and to lose one of them was, well, it was unbearable.

Keith was lost.  He knew there was always a possibility that one of them could get injured or killed.  They had been told this at the Academy, they had all thought they were prepared for it, but when it actually happened…

Keith stumbled into his room, swallowing hard around the lump in his throat.  He fell back across his bed and threw his arm over his eyes, realizing he still clutched the report in his hand.  Angrily, he balled it up and flung it across the room where it bounced harmlessly off the wall and landed in the corner.  The last time he had cried was when he was fourteen years old.  It wasn't when the General came to his dorm at the Academy and told him his father had suffered a fatal heart attack.  It wasn't at his father's funeral.  It wasn't until nearly four months later on what would have been his father's 49th birthday that he broke down and cried.

While he laid on the bed in his room in the Castle of Lions, he stared at the ceiling, thinking about Sven.  Keith had always been the studious voice of reason in their little clique at the Academy.  Lance had been the smooth ladies man.  Sven had been the suave athlete.  Both of them had left behind a string of broken hearts and unrequited crushes.  Keith worked hard, earned his degree and dated only a handful of women.  As different as the may have been, they were the best of friends.  The three Musketeers.

Keith didn't know how long he laid on his bed, but his thoughts were interrupted by a tentative knock on his door.  He sighed deeply.  Why couldn't they leave him alone?  But he was the commander and he couldn't ignore his men and his responsibilities.

"Who is it?"  

"It's me."

Normally, the sound of Allura's voice made him smile.  Now he grimaced, but he couldn't be rude. 

He punched in the code and watched the door slide open, revealing the very worried Princess.  "What do you need, Princess?"

"I, uh, I just came to see if you were alright."  
  


"I'm fine."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"No."

"Oh," she seemed a little surprised.  "Well, know that I am here if you ever want to talk."

His expression softened a bit, "I know and I appreciate it."

She looked as though she wanted to say more, but hesitated when his communicator went off.

"Whitaker."

"Captain, you wanted to know when Lt. Collier woke."  Dr. Gorma replied.

"Yes I did.  Is he coherent?"

"Yes, sir."

"Thank you, Dr. Gorma, I will be there momentarily."  Keith snapped the communicator shut and looked up at Allura.  "If you'll excuse me, Princess, I want to be the one to tell Lance."

She nodded and stepped aside, "Of course."

****************************************************************

The atmosphere in the Castle had become exceedingly tense over the next couple of weeks.  Keith once again threw himself into his work, trying to ignore his pain.  Lance was recovering well, but had lost his playfulness.  Hunk and Pidge had updated the shields on the Lions and went about their work quietly.  All of this was driving Allura crazy.  

No one was really talking to anyone else. Dinner was spent in awkward silences, everyone afraid to speak to the surly Captain.  And if anyone so much as mentioned Sven, Keith stood and left the room.  

She knew he was holding it all in.  He hadn't taken the time to properly mourn.  There was no body, which meant no real burial and no real closure.  Keith had also taken it upon himself to contact Sven's family back on Terra.  Allura tried to argue, claiming that since she was the planet's monarch, she should do it.  But one look from Keith had her stepping back and letting him lock himself in her study to make the call.

Three weeks after the attack, Allura had had enough.  She missed Sven and she knew how hard it was for them to go through this, but they couldn't stop living.  With everything that was going on, she needed them to act as a team.  She needed their help with her flying and practice, she needed them to protect her planet and she was tired of walking around the castle on eggshells.

A couple of weeks earlier, Allura had taken Koran aside and asked him to pick a room Keith could use as an office and to have it outfitted with all the equipment he would need.  His study was across the hall from Allura's.  She took the two strides and knocked on his door.

"Come in!"  Was the terse reply.

She opened the door and walked in.  Keith was bent over his desk reading a report.

"Keith?"

He looked up at her.  Dark shadows circled his eyes and lines marked his face.  He didn't look well.

"Yes, Princess, is everything alright?"  He wasn't overly concerned, the alarms hadn't gone off.

He hadn't used her name since Sven's attack.  "I think we need to talk, Keith."

With a sigh, he shut the folder in front of him and sat back in his chair.  "About what?"

Allura took a deep breath, hoping she didn't lose her nerve.  "I know what you're going through, Keith, really I do.  I miss Sven too, he was an amazing person, a great soldier, and a true gentleman."  She saw his jaw twitch, but he kept quiet.  "But would he really want you to behave like this? All of you?  You don't hang out together anymore.  Practice and dinner have become downright uncomfortable…"  
  


"With all due respect, Princess," Keith interrupted.  "But do you have a problem with our performance?"

She started, surprised by his question.  "Of course not, you are doing a great job."

"Then I don't know what I can do for you."

"Okay, I'm not here to talk about your job performance, Keith, I'm here because I'm worried."  
  


"I appreciate your concern, Princess, but I will muddle through this in my own way."

"It's not just you, though.  Don't you see?  Your behavior is affecting everyone, everything.  It's just not the same…"  
  


"No it's not the same!"  He stood fast, startling Allura.  "One of my best friends is dead, Princess, it will never be the same again."  
  


Allura took a step back, a little frightened by his reaction, "No, it won't be the same, Keith, but you can't stop living too.  You can't continue to turn inside yourself like this."

For a split second, she thought he was going to strike her.  He glared at her, his hands fisted on his desk as he leaned forward.  Then he seemed to deflate.  His face relaxed and his hands flattened on the desktop as he sank slowly into his chair.  Wordlessly, Keith buried his face in his hands.

She was right, he knew she was.  If anyone knew loss, it was Allura, and he knew her sympathy wasn't fake.  But when it hurt this much, when the pain was so intense he could almost taste it, it was just easier to think no one else could understand.  He found comfort in his misery and he didn't want to be happy again.  

Keith didn't realize Allura rounded his desk until he felt her small hand on his shoulder.

"When my parents died, I refused to play with any of my toys," she whispered.  "Koran would try to get me to play or laugh, which was quite hard considering what was going on.  It wasn't until he sat me down and explained to me that if I laughed and smiled, I wasn't forgetting my parents.  They would want me to be happy.  It is only by forgetting who I was that I dishonored their memory."

When he didn't respond, she gently squeezed his shoulder.  It was then that she realized he was shaking.  

"Keith?"

He inhaled shakily, "I was closer to Sven than I am to my own brother."

Wanting to comfort, Allura slid her arm around his shoulders and pulled him closer to her.  He went willingly.  

"It'll be alright, Keith," she said, gently.

He didn't make a noise, just shook as tears raced silently down his cheeks.  Needing to get closer, needing her comfort, Keith turned and wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, laying his forehead against her stomach.

For the third time since she walked into his study, Keith surprised her, but this time it was in a pleasant way.  She felt his agony and wanted it to end, but she was pleased to know he was at ease enough with her to seek solace when she offered it.  Tightening her arm around his shoulders, Allura brought her other hand up and gently stroked his hair.  She didn't say anything, knowing he didn't want to hear it.  Tears filled her own eyes, but she blinked rapidly, fighting them back, knowing she needed to be strong for him.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

"There's nothing to be sorry for," she whispered.

He pulled his head back, his eyes were red and wet, feeling weak, vulnerable and like a colossal fool.  "I'm sorry for how I've been behaving."

Allura couldn't help but notice he still had his arms wrapped around her, holding her close, and she didn't mind at all.  "Keith, I understand what you've been going through, really I do, I just don't want you to hold it all in.  I'm here if you ever want to talk."

"Thank you," he said, slowly releasing her from his grip.

"Anytime, Keith, and I mean that."

He nodded, noticing she didn't move.  He could still feel her in his arms, firm but curvy.  She had fit so well.  His arms seemed to have a mind of their own and started to reach for her again, but he had enough control to stop himself before he made a bigger fool of himself.

An awkward silence surrounded them.  Allura shifted her gaze and looked at the folder on the top of his desk.  The label read 'New Garrison Dress Code.'  She smiled softly, he was willing to do anything to avoid talking to them.

"Come on," she took his hand and tugged.  "It's a beautiful day, it's been nearly a week since our last attack, let's go for a walk around the lake."

"I have to…"

"No you don't.  The new dress code can wait."

He enjoyed the feel of her hand in his, "Well, I uh, I don't think it would be appropriate."

"Okay," she smirked.  "Let me put it to you this way, I am going to take a walk and I know how you don't like it when I leave the Castle alone.  So I suggest that if you don't want me to go for an unsupervised walk, you should join me."

He smiled and shook his head, "Alright, I'll meet you at the front door in ten minutes."

Nine minutes later, Allura stood beside the main entrance to the castle, a shawl wrapped around her shoulders.  She had rushed from Keith's study to her room where she had quickly brushed out her hair and grabbed her shawl.  

Keith had waited until she had turned the corner before running to his own room where he had washed his face, embarrassed when he saw his reflection in the mirror.  His eyes were swollen and his hair stuck out in odd points from where she had run her hand through it.  It was his show of weakness that had humiliated him.  How could she think he was a good, strong leader if he cried like this?  He turned the corner and say her standing patiently beside the door and was surprised to realize he didn't feel so embarrassed.  He felt closer to her.

"Ready to go?"  She smiled.

"Yup, are you sure you'll be warm enough?"  He asked, offering her his arm and opening the door.

"It's not so bad out," Allura turned her face to the sun.  "Oh, it feels so good to be outside again.  For so long we were stuck indoors, only able to watch the sun, the trees, the flowers from the windows."

"We still have to be vigilant, Allura."

She felt her heart spasm at the sound of him saying her name.  "I know.  I don't think I'll ever be able to just go out and not look over my shoulder, I've been doing it so long."

Feeling bold, Keith slid his hand down her arm and laced his fingers with hers.  "You're safe now, Allura.  Next time you look over your shoulder you'll see me covering your back."

Blushing, Allura smiled coyly up at him and slipped her hand from his.  "Is that so, Captain?"

He saluted her smartly, "Yes, Ma'am."

She danced ahead of him towards the lake, "Even if I disobey and run ahead of you?"

He took off at a run and circled her, "I am faster than you."

Allura raised an eyebrow, "You think so?"

Keith grinned at her, "I know so."

"Care to race and allow me to prove you wrong?"

"Only if you want me to leave you in the dust."

"Alright," she stopped beside a bush.  "From here to the tree line and back."  She pulled the shawl from her shoulders and tossed it over the bush.

"What do I get if I win?"  He asked innocently.

"Hm, how about winner has to make loser dinner."

"I guess it's a good thing I'm going to win, Allura, since I can't cook."

"Then you'll have to get Nanny to give you lessons.  Ready?"

He nodded.

"Alright.  1…2…3 go!"

Keith watched her race ahead, giving her a head start.  When she was halfway to the tree ine, he burst forward.

"Get a move on, Captain!"  She teased over her shoulder.

Pushing himself forward, Keith was about to reach her as she approached the trees.

And then she was gone.

Keith skidded to a halt, looking around.  "Allura!"  

No answer.

"Allura!"  He yelled, grabbing his communicator off his belt when he heard a whimpering.  Running into the woods, he caught a flash of pink and the whirl of long white hair.

"Hunk!"  Keith called into his communicator.  "Lotor has the Princess, sound the alarms!"


	7. Rescue

Hi all!  
Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews, I really appreciate them.  I am doing my best to get this story out, but I am finding it to be the most challenging story I've written so far.  

Bell~ Yes, I've been reading the new comics and I'm enjoying them.  I'm impressed with their new takes on the characters and I can't wait to see what happens.

Enjoy

Failte

*****************************************

_{{  "This was the first time Allura had been taken while we were here," Lance said.  _

_Pidge nodded, "We did make it difficult for Lotor to get to her."_

_"It was one of the most terrifying moments of my life when I realized he had her," Keith told them._

_Allura squeezed his hand and gave him a small smile, "I wasn't too worried, I knew you'd come and get me."_

_"We were lucky to have the best team in the Universe," he replied._

_"And it was the first time I had ever seen Keith totally lose control," Lance spoke up.  "When we got to the guards, well, we'll get to that.  I was in Castle Control with Hunk when Keith's call came in…}}_

Keith pushed through the bush, trying to catch another sight of Allura and Lotor.  "Do you have anything?"  He shouted into his communicator as he dodged a branch and leapt over a root.

Hunk was in Castle Control, connecting with the homing device implanted in Allura's communicator.  "The signal is weak, Captain, I think she's off the planet."

Keith swore loudly and turned around, running toward the castle, "I'll be there in thirty seconds, I want the Lions in the air in sixty."

"Copy that, Captain."

Bursting from the trees, Keith flew across the yard and into Castle Control.  "What are you waiting for!" He snapped, not stopping on his way to Black's entrance tube.

It had only taken them forty five seconds to get into the air.  Koran was manning Castle Control, watching the movement of the Princess' homing device.

"I know you don't want to hear this, Keith, but are we sure Allura still has her communicator on her?"  Lance asked.

"If she didn't, it probably still won't be moving," Hunk responded.  "If she had dropped it, the transmission would be still."

"It's getting stronger," Pidge called out.  "We're getting closer."

***********************************

Allura struggled against the rope tying her wrists together, trying to figure out what had just happened.  One moment she was looking over her shoulder, watching Keith let her win, the next she felt someone grip her arm and yank her into the woods.  A hand clamped over her mouth while an arm wrapped around her waist, lifting her off her feet.  She squirmed and screamed, but it all went unheard.  Keith called for her, she heard him, but she couldn't respond.  Before she knew it, she was carried onto a ship.

Lotor had dumped her onto the floor as the ship took off.  "Don't scream, Princess that really annoys me."

"What do you want?"  Allura asked, trying to stop her voice from shaking.

Without saying a word, Lotor raised an eyebrow and smirked.

Allura felt the bile rise in her throat and was afraid she was about to vomit all over his expensive uniform.  "You disgust me," she spat.

His hand shot out and slapped her across the face, "You need to learn a little respect, Princess."

She brought her face up to look at him, a trickle of blood oozing out of the side of her mouth, "As do you, Lotor."

"You always were feisty."  His gaze roamed over her body.

She moaned in disgust and brought her hand up to retaliate.  Lotor grabbed her wrist before she came in contact with him and twisted her arm behind her back, "Don't ever try that again."

"Let me go!"  She demanded, struggling against his grip.

  
Lotor called a guard over and had him hold her while he tied her hands behind her back.  "You _will learn some respect, Princess," he assured her as he dragged her down the hallway of the ship.  They stopped in front of a door and he whirled her around to face him.  Bringing his face close to hers, he whispered.  "You are now of marrying age, Princess, and one of the most desirable women in the Universe.  We can be the most powerful couple known.  We could join forces and rule together."_

"Never," she snarled.

Lotor leaned in to kiss her.  Allura turned her head quickly and felt nauseous when his wet lips pressed against her ear. 

"You will be mine."  His breath was wet and hot against her cheek.

Lotor wrenched open the door and shoved her in, slamming the door behind her.  

With her arms tied behind her, Allura wasn't able to catch herself and she stumbled and fell, twisting her ankle painfully.  With a cry and tears in her eyes, she pulled herself over to the wall.  Her communicator was in her pocket and she struggled to get it, but it was just out of reach.  Taking deep breaths, she tried to calm herself.  Keith was on his way, she knew that and it helped her keep her composure.

*************************************

"I am assuming she is on a ship, Captain," Koran announced.  "They have been on a steady course, most likely towards Doom."

"How far out are we?"  Keith asked.

"If you keep up at this pace, you should reach them within four minutes."

"Alright, let us know if you notice any change in direction."

"Will do, Captain."

"Are we going to attack them in the air?"  Hunk asked.

"No, that wouldn't be safe for the Princess, we'll hang back, just out of radar range and follow them to Doom."  Keith was mentally berating himself.  Why did he let her go outside?  Not that he could really have stopped her.  She would have gone out alone, baiting him, and that would have been worse, they wouldn't have known she was gone.  What was going on with the two of them?  He could no longer deny his feelings for her, but what were his feelings?  There was attraction there and every time he saw her, he felt his stomach fall to his knees.  But it was just a silly crush and this had to stop.  If he was to be an effective leader, he had to be able to keep his mind on the task at hand.  Friendships could not get in the way of work.  And that brought Sven to mind.  

Anger, more intense than any he could ever remember feeling, filled Keith.  Damn Zarkon!  Damn Lotor!  Damn Doom!  They attack defenseless planets, kill innocents and take slaves.  This had always been a tough position, now it was personal.

*************************************

Allura grunted in frustration, blinking furiously, fighting back her tears.  Her wrists were rubbed raw by the rope, her ankle throbbed painfully and was already swollen, and her head pounded with frustration and unshed tears.  She took in her surroundings.  The walls were windowless and dark grey, the floor painfully hard, and the only light was coming through a small barred window in the door.

She stopped struggling and held her breath as she heard a key scrap against the lock.  Her heart pounded in her ears and her mouth went dry.  Was it Lotor?  What was he going to do with her tied up and helpless?

The door opened and a guard stuck his head in and grinned, "Well, what do ya know?  It is the Princess."  He turned and looked over his shoulder.  "Come see, Cullen, she's a mighty fine piece of ass."

"Get out here, Larvich, you know his Eminence would have your head if you touched her," a tired voice replied.

"Oh, she wouldn't tell Lotor if I had a little fun," the guard looked back at her, "would ya, you pretty little thing?"

Allura felt her lip curl in disgust.

The other guard, Cullen, sighed.  "Knock it off."

Larvich pushed the door open a bit further and stepped in, "I do like blondes."  
  


Allura felt herself start to shake.  

"She looks terrified," he knelt down beside her.  "Don't be scared, pretty, it won't hurt.  Unless you're a virgin."

Allura turned her head away, feeling sick.

"Good evening, Your Eminence," Cullen said loudly.

Larvich winked at her and stood, walking back out to the hallway.  She heard him explain to Lotor, "I thought I heard a noise, sir, but she appears to be good."

"Good job men," Lotor swept into the room.  "How are you feeling, Princess?"

"Oh, I'm feeling great," she replied, sarcastically.  

"Good, glad to hear it.  Now if you promise not to fight, I'll untie your hands."  
  


"Sorry, can't promise that."  
  


"So you would rather stay in here, immobile?"

"Yup.  I won't be here long."

Lotor smiled, "What?  Do you think Voltron is coming after you?"

Allura glared at him.

"They don't know where you are, there has been no sign of them on the radar.  I'm sure they will come looking for you, but it will be quite a while before they find you and by then, it will be too late."  
  


"What, uh, what do you mean 'too late'?"  She asked, trying to hide her nervousness.

"Well," he paced the small dark room.  "You can either marry me or you will be given to the guards.  I know for a fact Larvich has had his head turned by you."

"I'm sure they're on their way now, Lotor, and when they get here you'll have to answer to Keith."

Lotor stopped and looked down at her.  "_Keith_?  You're on a first name basis with your employees?  Either you're too soft or there is something more to this than it seems."  
  


"Just because I don't treat my people as terribly as you treat yours doesn't mean there is anything going on," she muttered.

Lotor unsheathed the knife on his belt, "Well, Princess, you have until we land to make your decision.  Marry me and live a life of fortune and power or decline me and spend the rest of your life being passed from one guard to the next."  With that he turned on his heel and left, slamming the door behind him.

Allura swallowed hard.  Obviously, Lotor didn't know Keith had been with her when he took her.  The Lions would have been in the air moments after she disappeared, they would have followed her homing signal and they would get her.  They were coming for her, they had to be.

*********************************

Keith pulled back on Black's thrusters and slowed down.  They were roughly twenty feet from Lotor's radar range.  According to Koran's coordinates, they were roughly ten minutes from Doom.

His heart pounded and his palms were sweating.  Lotor's feelings for Allura were well known and it frightened him to think about what he might do to the Princess.  Keith tried his hardest to push those thoughts from his mind.  She would fight back, hard.  If Lotor was going to try anything with her, Allura would be sure to make him pay.  She had been working out and learning martial arts.  They had taught her to defend herself and she was a great student. 

"They've slowed, preparing for a descent," Koran announced.

"Okay, hang back a second men," Keith said.  "Let them land."

"Keith, don't you think they'll notice us landing on Doom?"  Lance asked.

"Yes, but we'll be ready.  Pidge, Hunk you will stay with the Lions, fire as needed.  Lance, you and I are going to get the Princess."  Keith instructed as they approached Doom.  "When they land, they will shut down the ship and turn off their radar. By the time the castle realizes we're here, we better have the Princess."

The Lions touched down about a hundred yards from the ship.  Green and Yellow crouched in a fighting position while Keith and Lance silently exited Red and Black.

"Stay with me and keep quiet," Keith hissed to Lance.

"Yes, sir."

They hurried past old, twisted trees and random clumps of dead grass towards Lotor's ship.  No one had exited the ship yet, but the door had opened and the gangplank dropped.  After a moment, two guards exited and stood at either side of the entrance.  Keith and Lance watched, crouching behind a bush, as Lotor glided down the plank, flanked by two more guards, his cape swirling around him.  

"Come on," Keith whispered, creeping toward the ship.

  
The two men quickly disposed of the guards, knocking the out with the butts of their blasters.

********************************************  
  


Allura held her breath and listened as the two guards spoke quietly outside her door.

"Lotor said we could have her if she didn't agree to marry him, I heard it meself."

"Don't get your hopes up, Larvich, he only said that to scare her."

"Nah, I think he meant it."

"You're a fool, she won't let you lay one hand on her."

"That little thing?  I could take her with one arm tied behind my back.  Hmmm…maybe I'll try that."

Cullen chuckled, "You're a sick man."

"Hey, not all of us have a woman in the kitchen.  What you see in that girl I will never know."

"Watch it, Larvich, I'm not afraid to kick your ass."

"Oh I was just kidding, you know that Cullen.  Tell you what, watch out for me, I want to get my hands on that pretty little thing in there."

"Don't do it. Lotor will kill you."  
  
"He won't know.  I just want to touch her, feel her hair, her legs.  Did you see her rack?  She is one sweet piece of ass."

Allura shivered uncontrollably and pulled her knees up.  A key scrapped against the lock and a small sob escaped her lips.

**********************************************

Keith looked around a corner and saw the two guards beside a door, talking quietly.  He hid around the corner and listened, hoping they would give a hint as to where the Princess was.  

Lance watched as Keith listened.  The Captain's face paled and his knuckles whitened as they tightened around his blaster as they listened.

Without a word, Keith whirled around the corner, brandishing his gun.  Cullen saw him first and raised his weapon but was cut down with a single shot from Keith.  Larvich turned, the key in the lock and reached for his gun.  Before his hand reached the holster, Keith was on him, pummeling him with his bare hands.

  
"Keith," Lance grabbed Keith's arm and tried to pull him off the guard.  "Keith, come on, let's get the Princess and get out of here."

Keith brought his fist into Larvich's face again and again, anger and hatred giving him strength.  An angry red haze clouded his vision and dulled the pain in his fist as he pounded the guard.

"Keith!"  Lance holstered his blaster and pulled the Black pilot off the other man.

Larvich laid motionless, blood pouring from his nose, obviously broken, and his mouth, where a few teeth were missing.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

Keith rose to his feet and turned the key that was still stuck in the lock.

Allura turned her face from the door.  She had heard the commotion and thought she had heard Lance's voice, but she was afraid to hope.

Keith pushed the door open and felt a rush of relief and  renewed anger at what he saw.  Allura was curled up against the wall, her hair a tangled mess, her dress torn and dirty, and her hands tied behind her back.  He fell to his knees beside her.  "Allura, are you okay?"

She looked up and saw Keith crouching beside her and Lance standing by the door.  "Yeah, I'm okay."

Keith pulled a knife from his belt and sliced through her restraints.  "Did he, uh, did he touch you?"

"No," she rubbed her sore wrists.  "I'm okay, really."

He stood and offered her his hands, "Let's get out of here."

She took his hands and allowed him to help her up.  As soon as she put weight on her ankle, it buckled beneath her.  "I twisted my ankle," she said apologetically.

"Alright, come here."  Keith wrapped an arm around her waist and helped her hobble toward the door.  "Let's get you off this ship and back to Arus, then we'll take a look at your ankle."

Lance hurried over to help, "I think I hear footsteps, let's get out of here."

"Well, isn't this sweet?"

They were greatly outnumbered, Lotor stood with half a dozen guards.  One guard reached out and wrenched the blaster from Lance's hand while another disarmed Keith.

  
Lotor clucked his tongue, "And what did you do to poor Larvich?"  He kicked at the unconscious guard.  "He was one of my favorites."

"He's still alive," Lance told him.

"Yes, well, we don't have time to wait for him to recover."  Lotor took Lance's blaster and shot Larvich between the eyes.  Allura gasped and turned her head to Keith's shoulder.

"Let us go, Lotor," Keith said in his best commander voice.

"Yeah, okay, whatever," Lotor rolled his eyes.  "You'll stay here until I tell father I have a gift for him."  He left the room, shutting and locking the door behind him, leaving three guards.

Lance ran his hands over the door and the walls, looking for a way out.  Keith carefully helped Allura into a sitting position and pulled his communicator out.

"We're not getting a signal in here," Keith said, punching various buttons on his communicator.

"What do you mean?"  Allura asked.

  
"We followed her homing device," Lance pointed out.

"The homing devices have stronger signals than the actual communicators," Keith explained.  "But don't worry, Hunk will realize soon that something's wrong.  Anything Lance?"

"No, the walls are completely smooth, no chance of a loose rock or anything and the lock is an electronic based device so I don't have the proper tools to pick it," Lance kicked the door.

Allura watched the two men while rubbing her wrists and rolling her sore shoulders.  "So we wait?"

Keith sat down beside her, "Unfortunately."

Lance paced in front of them, "How will Hunk know where to find us?  And how will they get past the guards?"

"Hunk and Pidge are great soldiers, they'll figure it out."  Keith assured him.

***************************************

"It's been fifteen minutes," Pidge told Hunk.

"Koran," Hunk opened a line of communication to the Castle of Lions.  "Do you have a reading on their homing devices?"

"Yes, the three of them are together and they haven't moved in a while."  
  


"Damn," Hunk whispered.  "Alright, buddy, ready to go?"  
  


"Yeah, let's go get them!"  Pidge yelled, opening the hatch on Green.

The two pilots raced toward the ship.  They watched as Lotor left with two guards.

"What do we do, Hunk?"

"If they're captured, then Lotor probably know we're here."

"So we charge, weapons blazing and hope for the best?"  Pidge asked.

"Well, maybe not charge," Hunk muttered.  "Follow me."

They made their way onto the ship and down the main hallway, keeping to the wall.

"Look for guards," Hunk whispered, fitting a silencer to his blaster.  "The three of them will be under heavy guard."

"There," Pidge pointed to the door where three guards paced in front of it.

Hunk flattened himself against the wall as best he could, "That's our best guess.  Ready?"

Pidge nodded.

Hunk aimed his blaster and took out the closest guard.  The two others whirled around, weapons drawn.  Shots were exchanged on both sides, Hunk was hit in the arm and Pidge was grazed on the temple.  But the two Voltron pilots had the upper hand, standing around a corner in the corridor, using it as a shield.

Keith and Lance both stood at the door, ears pressed against the cold metal.  Shots were fired and Keith was sure he heard a silenced blaster shot.  He turned quickly and walked to Allura. 

"Sounds like the Calvary's here," he told her, offering her his hand.  "Let's get ready to run."

Allura stood and leaned heavily on Keith.

"Hey, Captain, you in there?"  Hunk called through the door.

  
"Yeah, Hunk, get us out of here!"

"Stand back!  I can't find a key, I'm going to try and shoot the lock!"

Keith and Lance stepped back and to the side, shielding Allura with their bodies.  It took three shots before the lock malfunctioned and Pidge pushed the door open.

  
"Come on, let's go," Hunk waved them out with his right arm, blood pouring down his left.

"Oh, Hunk, what happened," Allura gasped as she hobbled from the room.

"It's nothing," he assured her.

"It's just a flesh wound," Lance declared in a bad British accent.

Hunk smiled and cuffed Lance upside the head as they hurried down the hall.

"Come on," Lance said to Pidge.  "Let's make sure it's clear."  The two of them rushed ahead.

"Are you doing alright?"  Keith asked Allura.  They were moving too slowly for his taste, but she was in obvious pain.

"Yeah, let's get out of here," she said through gritted teeth.  She stopped suddenly at the sound of shots fired.

Hunk swore, "Come on, Cap, I got you covered."

Keith bent an arm under Allura's knees and swept her up into his arms.  With Hunk running ahead of them Keith ran toward Black.  Keith groaned when he felt a laser hit his left shoulder, but they were far enough away that it was not more than a burn.  He made it to Black before the others made it to their Lions, but they were close behind.  Keith helped the Princess into the cockpit and fired up the Lion.

"Roll call!"  Keith called as the Lions all lifted off Doom.

"Here," Lance said.  "A little sore and with a little less blood in me, but I don't think it's anything serious."

"Same here," Pidge called out, swiping at the blood that ran from the wound on his temple.

  
Hunk gritted his teeth as he steered Yellow into the sky.

"Hunk!"  Keith called.

"Yeah, Cap, I'm here.  A little worse for wear, but I'm here."

"Alright, let's get to Arus.  You can all go straight to the hospital wing when we get there."  Keith shut off the open lines of communication, put the Lion on auto pilot, and turned to the Princess.  "How're you holding up, Allura?"

"I'm alright, a little sore," she admitted.

Keith leaned over to get the first aid kit from under his seat when he heard her gasp.  "What's wrong?"

"You were hit," she placed a hand on his right shoulder and held him down so she could examine the burn.  His flight suit was singed and had a hole that showed his burned flesh beneath.

"I'm fine," he shrugged her hand off his shoulder and sat up.  "Let me see your ankle."

She blushed slight, "I can wait until we get to the castle, let me look at your shoulder."

Without saying a word, Keith gingerly lifted her right foot and set it on his lap.  He pulled an elastic bandage from the first aid kit and set it aside.  Allura shivered at the feel of his fingers brushing against her inflamed ankle.  

"I don't think it's broken," he murmured, stroking her skin.  "You'll need to keep it elevated and put some ice on it."  He went about wrapping her ankle tightly.  When he finished, he reached back into the first aid kit and pulled out a small packet, offering it to her.  "They're pain pills, they dissolve in your mouth so you don't need water."

Allura nodded, tears in her eyes, and carefully lowered her foot to the ground.

"Is the pain that bad?"  He asked worriedly.

"No, thank you."  She ripped open the pills and popped them into her mouth.

Keith leaned forward and stroked a finger down her cheek, "Are you sure you're okay?"

She blinked rapidly and nodded.

"I shouldn't have let you go outside.  I knew it wasn't safe."

"No," Allura whispered.  "Don't blame yourself.  I was being impetuous and immature.  If you weren't there, who knows what would've…"

He nodded, letting her unfinished thought hang in the air.

"Thank you."

"What?"

Allura locked her gaze with his, "Thank you.  For rescuing me."  
  


Keith flashed her a smile, "Anytime, your Highness."

Allura leaned forward and carefully brushed her lips over his.  
  


Keith jumped back, startled.  Allura misread his reaction and blushed furiously, turning away from him.  "Sorry, Captain, I just, uh, thank you."

He reached out and cupped her cheek, forcing her to look at him.  "You're welcome."  Bringing her to him, Keith kissed her gently.  He was about to deepen the kiss and take from her everything he ever wanted when a beeping filled the air.

They jumped apart like two naughty children.

"Yeah, Whitaker," Keith said hoarsely as he opened the lines of communication again.

"How is the Princess?"  Koran asked.

"I'm fine," Allura responded quietly.

"We're about ten minutes from Arus," Hunk announced.

"Have Dr. Gorma ready," Keith told Koran.  "We'll need to have everyone checked out.

"Yes, sir."  Koran nodded and sent a guard to warn the doctor.

***************************************

Keith made his way from the hospital wing to his study.  They had all been examined by Dr. Gorma.  Lance and Pidge had some scrapes and bruises, but were overall okay.  Allura's ankle was twisted, but she would be fine in a day or two.  Nanny had ushered her to her room so she could fawn over the Princess.  Hunk had been injured the worst, with five stitches in his arm and had to stay in the hospital over night for observation, Dr. Gorma wanted to make sure he didn't come down with an infection.

Allura had insisted Dr. Gorma check Keith out as well.  He had a second degree burn on his shoulder and needed to apply a salve and dressing to it twice a day, but he would be fine.

Shutting the door behind him, Keith walked over to his desk.  He needed to think.  What had happened today?  Not her kidnapping, but before and after.  Did she really have feelings for him?  Or was she really just showing her gratitude?  Could they really have any kind of relationship?

Lance had always picked on him during their Academy days, saying he thought about it too much.  Lance had told him repeatedly, if you found a girl attractive, go for it, don't stop and over analyze everything.  But it wasn't that easy for Keith.  He wasn't just going to hand over his time, his feelings, his heart to some girl he hardly knew.

He sighed when there was a knock on the door.  He was afraid it was Allura and he wanted to see her and yet he didn't.

"Come in."

The door slid open and to his surprise, Koran entered.

"How do you feel, Captain?"

"I'm alright, sir, thank you.  Please, come in, have a seat."

Koran settled into the chair across from the desk, looking tired.  "I was pleased to hear that everyone is going to be alright."

Keith nodded.

  
"But I feel I need to speak with you, Captain."

"What about?"

"The Princess is coming of age, Captain.  It is important for her to marry someday, hopefully soon, and produce an heir.  Lotor seems to think he should be the one to help her with that."

Keith clenched his teeth but kept quiet.

"It is important for the future of Arus that Princess Allura marries soon," Koran continued.  "There have been arrangements made, Princes from throughout this Universe and others will come and visit the Princess, maybe even start courting her."

"Why are you telling me all this, Koran?"

"Because, Captain, in the past few months I have noticed how you and the Princess have become close friends and I wanted to make sure it stayed that, just friends."

"What are you implying?"  Keith asked, the first licks of irritation entering his mind.

"Let me put it to you this way, Captain, the Princess cannot be with a commoner.  If she ever wanted to marry outside of royalty, she would be forced to give up her throne."

Keith sat back and watched the advisor quietly, not quite sure what to think.

"It's a law put in the books hundreds of years ago.  Princess Allura is the last of her lineage, she has to marry royalty to continue on as ruler of Arus.  If she were ever to marry a commoner, who would rule in her place?  It would be the end of Arus."

Keith swallowed hard and nodded.


	8. The Breaking Of A Strong Heart

Hi!  
  
Thank you guys so much for your wonderful and helpful reviews, you have no idea how much I appreciate them.

Bell & RedLion2 ~ I totally agree with you guys about the new comics.  I am really enjoying them.  Did you get the first issue with their biographies?  Keith's background is just heartbreaking.  While most of my stories have dealt mainly with Lance, I have to admit that Keith was always my favorite in the show.  I just wish the comic books came out more quickly.

Enjoy,

Failte

*************************************************

Keith watched as Koran left his study, still unable to respond to what the older man had just told him.  Had he been that obvious?  Marriage had never even entered his mind.  What about Allura?  He couldn't allow anything like this to happen to her, to Arus.  

  
"Hey, Koran," Lance walked into the room as Koran was leaving.

"Good evening, Lieutenant."

Lance waited until the door closed before he sauntered over to Keith's desk, "How're you feeling, Cap?"

"Fine, Lance," his voice was strained.  "How're you?"

"Alright, a little sore," he fell into the seat opposite the desk and grinned at his Captain.  "So?"

"So what?"

"Well, there's a story floating around Castle Control and I decided to come directly to the source and see if it was true or not."

"I am really not in the mood, Lance, will you just get to the point."

Lance's grin grew a little more, "Well, it seems that when you shut off the lines of communication to have a private tête-à-tête with the Princess, you didn't close the visuals with Castle Control."  He watched as Keith paled and then turned a brilliant red.  "So it is true?"

"What, uh, what is, uh, being said?"  Keith stammered.

"Oh, something about how you and the Princess were getting rather cozy."

Keith buried his face in his hands and groaned.

"Oh man!"  Lance sat up and leaned closer to the desk.  "You did do it!"

"It's not what you think, Lance," he mumbled into his hands.  

"What happened?  I heard you guys were making out and Koran was so pissed there was steam pouring from his ears."

Keith raised his head, "We weren't _making out.  It was just, we, uh, it was a…"_

"I've never seen you so flustered, man."

Taking a deep breath, Keith continued, "It wasn't what you think, Lance.  We both got caught up in the moment and we kissed.  Just one little kiss.  It didn't mean anything."

"It didn't mean anything?" Lance repeated.  "What the hell does that mean?"

"Just what I said, it didn't mean anything.  We were just caught up in the moment, I was totally out of line.  It won't happen again."

Lance furrowed his brow and watched as Keith pushed his chair back and stood, "You can't be serious, Keith."

"I am.  I was serious, Lance, when I told you that no one in the Force is to pursue the Princess, she is completely off limits."  
  
"No, she is off limits to Hunk, Sven, Pidge, and I.  To you, she is the perfect woman."

"Before long Princes from various planets will be arriving to court the Princess and we are not to get in the way."

Lance rose to his feet, "What are you talking about?"

"What don't you understand, Lieutenant?  She is totally off limits to all of us."

"But I thought…"  
  


"You thought wrong."

"Alright, Keith, drop the act.  I am asking you as your friend, what happened?"

"Nothing, Lance.  There is nothing going on between the Princess and me and there never will be."  
  


"Who's going to tell Allura that?"  Lance asked, angrily.

"What are you talking about?"

"She does have feelings you know.  What are you going to do?  Waltz into her room and tell her you changed your mind?  You just wanted to cop a little feel and then move on?"  
  


"I don't need you to lecture me, Lance."

"You know, Keith," Lance ran a hand angrily through his hair.  "I know you've always been the quiet, brooding kind, but I never knew you to be such a total asshole."

"You are completely out of line, Lieutenant."

Lance spoke slowly through clenched teeth, "Don't you dare pull rank on me, Keith.  Right now there is a beautiful, sweet, wonderful woman who is in love with a man who seems to think he can toy with her emotions and then dump her."

"You have no idea what you're talking about, Lance, and you have no right to talk to me like that.  You have had your share of women."  
  
"This is totally different, Keith.  I have never led on a woman who was in love with me and then just dropped her for no reason."  
  


"She isn't in love with me…"  
  


"Are you really that dense?"  Lance cried, incredulously.  "She is in love with you just as you are with her.  But for some unknown reason you won't act on it and you insist on hurting her."

"I have my reasons."

"And they are?"

"None of your business, Lance."

"When you're hurting a friend of mine, and this is involving two of my best friends, it is my business."

"I can't trust you with it, Lance."  As soon as he said, Keith knew he was wrong.  

The hurt was clearly evident on Lance's face, "We've been best friends for many years, Keith, when have I ever let you down?"

"That's not what I meant, I do trust you, I trust you with my life.  I trust you more that anyone else I've ever known."

"Then why can't you talk to me about this?"

"I don't want Allura to know we were discussing it," Keith whispered dejectedly.

Lance's expression softened at the obvious frustration in Keith's voice and body language, "Tell me about it, man."  
  


"Koran was just in here, I didn't know he saw Allura and me in the cockpit, and he told me that there was a law on the books that said that if Allura ever married a commoner, she would lose her crown."

"What?"

"The law has been there for years, if she married a commoner she would have to give up ruling Arus and she is the last of her family, what would happen to Arus and it's people?"

Lance rubbed the back of his neck, trying to think of what to say.  "I knew you had feelings for her, but I didn't realize they ran that deep."

"We can't let it go that far."  
  


"Shit, man, this can't be happening.  Are you sure about it?  I mean, did Koran show you the law?"

"No.  I have no reason to doubt Koran, why would he lie?"

"Because he's overprotective of the Princess."

Keith shook his head, "No, Lance, he's right.  We can't allow silly crushes to get in the way of our work.  We're here to do a job, to protect and rebuild Arus."

"You're going to have to talk to her," Lance pointed out.

  
"I know.  Just let me do it, don't say anything to her, I have to figure out how I'm going to do this."

Lance laid a hand on Keith's shoulder and squeezed gently, "I am so sorry, Keith, there has got to be a way around this and we will find it."

"No, I don't want you wasting time reading the constitution and laws of Arus when we need you fighting with us."

"You need to stop being so damn noble and start doing what you feel is right?"

"Is it right for me to allow my hormones to dictate what I do and ruin Allura's life?"  
  


"I think this goes deeper than just hormones."

Keith sighed, "Yeah, it does."

_{{  "Oh, Keith, that's horrible," Darcy sighed.  "I can't believe Koran would do that?"_

_"He was just doing his job, Darc, he was looking out for Allura and what was best for Arus," Keith explained._

_"Yeah, but if you had told me what he had said, I would have had a few choice words for him," Allura huffed, tucking her legs under her and curling up against him.  _

_Keith smiled, "Which is why I didn't tell you."_

_"How did you get around it?"  Becca asked._

_"Well, if you guys would stop interrupting I could tell you," Lance teased._

_"How long had you been on Arus at this point?"  Paton asked._

_Keith thought for a moment, "Oh, about six months."_

_"And you and Allura were already that close?"_

_"It's hard to explain," Keith told her.  "But when you're living in such close quarters, working together, hanging out together, essentially spending all day every day together, you tend to grow close very quickly."_

_Lance snorted and tugged on Darcy's hair, "That's for sure."_

_"Come on, guys, I want to hear how they ended up together," Becca spoke up._

_"Well, it wasn't easy, he walked into my room and broke my heart," Allura pouted._

_"I did what I thought was right," Keith corrected her._

_She sniffled and stuck out her lower lip, "It felt like my life was ending, my whole world was falling down around me."_

_"See, that stopped working on me a few years ago."_

_"What do you mean?"  Darcy asked._

_Keith turned to her with a small smile, "Whenever Allura wanted anything, she would try and guilt me by using the time I broke her poor little heart."_

_"Well, that's just a waste of time," Lance teased.  "You have Keith wrapped so tightly around your little finger, you don't need guilt, you have other ways."_

_The Queen stretched her arms out in front of her and yawned, "Yeah, I know."_

_Keith rolled his eyes, "I'm not that whipped and besides, you fought back.  I was impressed."_

_"Come on," Becca whined.  "What happened?"_

_"You want to know what happened?"  Allura asked.  "I'll tell you what happened.  I was in my room, unable to walk, waiting for a certain someone to come visit me…}}_

Allura was reclining back on her bed, pillows piled behind her and her swollen ankle elevated on a couple of cushions.  Nanny had fussed and poked and prodded and drove her crazy.  She had finally convinced the older woman it was time to go fix dinner.  Nanny didn't want to leave her alone, so a young maid, Lea, was told to stay with the Princess.

"You really don't need to stay," Allura told the young woman.

Lea bit her lip, not wanting to disobey the Princess, but she was also more than a little afraid of Nanny.  "I, uh, I can…"

"No, really, Lea, I just want to rest.  Oh, and don't worry, Nanny will be angry with me, not you."

As soon as the door closed behind the girl, Allura leaned forward to check her appearance in her vanity mirror.  With Nanny's help, she had washed up, brushed her hair and changed into a clean dressing gown.  There was a bruise on her jaw where Lotor had struck her, her wrists were still raw, and her whole body ached.  She hated this, but she knew Keith would come and visit her.  The thought of seeing him again brought an unconscious smile to her lips and caused her stomach to knot up.  He had kissed her.  Her first kiss.  She brought her fingers to her lips and closed her eyes, drawing on the memory of his lips against hers; gentle, kind, warm.

Heat colored her face when there was a knock on her door.  "Come in," she called, her voice a little higher than usual.

Taking a deep breath, Keith watched the door slide open.  He had rehearsed what he was going to say after Lance left his study.  But all thought, all his rehearsed words slipped from his mind.  He thought he had steeled his heart as to what he was going to do, but as soon as he saw her, it broke a little.  She looked so small, so vulnerable.  He knew as he looked at her now just what his feelings were for her.  She really was everything he ever wanted in a woman and then some.  If only things were different.  But they weren't.

"Keith," she smiled shyly.

He nodded to her, "Princess.  How are you?"

"A little sore and tired," she admitted.  "But now that Nanny isn't fussing over me, I'm feeling a lot better."

He smiled despite himself, "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better and that you're home safe."

"Me too."

A thick silence hung in the room.  Keith looked around, taking in the little girl room with pink walls and white trim combined with the scent of roses that was Allura.  A portrait of her parents hung above the fireplace opposite her bed.  The only clutter was on top of her vanity where various bottles and hair accessories littered the white top of pink skirted table.  

"How, uh, h-how are you feeling?  How's your, uh, back?"  Allura asked, blushing.

"I'm fine, thank you."

"This is silly, Keith, why are we having such a hard time talking?  We're friends."

He nodded stiffly and took a few more steps into the room.  He fought for control to stop himself from going to her, touching her, kissing her.  It would be best to just come right out, say it, and move on with their lives.

"Princess…Allura, we need to talk."

She nodded.

Keith sat carefully on the edge of the vanity chair.  "What happened earlier, in Black, I want to apologize for that.  I was totally out of line and it should not have happened, it won't happen again."

Allura furrowed her brow, ignoring the pain and insult that came with what he just said.  "I don't understand Keith, this is the second time you've apologized for…something like this.  Why?  I mean, it keeps happening, but then you regret it?  Why?"

He hadn't expected her to argue.  He thought she would nod, agree and then they would go back to work.  "Uh, well, to be honest, it wouldn't work.  We have to work together and I enjoy your friendship, but we can't go any further, it would be totally inappropriate."

She shook her head slowly, "I just don't understand.  Do you always kiss a girl and then regret it?  What game are you playing?  Because I don't have time to put up with this."  Her voice rose slightly.  "I have a planet to run and Lion practice and workouts.  I don't have time to allow you to do this to me."  
  


Keith took a step back, surprised by her reaction.  Why did she have to fight back?  "It's not like that, Princess.  I think we both just got caught up in the moment."

Her voice shook and she cursed herself for it, "Well, then I guess we will just have to be careful to not let that happen again."

He nodded.

"And I think you should learn to control your behavior better."

Keith started, totally unprepared for that remark.  He wanted to tell her how he felt, he wanted to go to her apologize repeatedly and beg for her forgiveness.  He had hurt her and he knew it.  "I'm sorry, Princess."

She nodded again, unable to speak.

"I'll take my leave," he mumbled.  "If there is anything at all you need, just ask."

Allura turned away from him, staring at her window.  She did not want him to see the tears in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered quietly, slipping from her room.

The door slid shut behind him, but Keith couldn't move.  He stood in the quiet hallway and listened as she cried.

_{{  "Geez, Keith, how could you?"  Becca asked._

_"In my defense, when you look back now I seemed cold and heartless, but at the time it was the right thing to do," he explained._

_Allura batted her eyes at him, "Breaking my heart was the right thing to do?"_

_"Alright, fine," he threw his arm around her shoulders.  "What was it you wanted?  That necklace in the window of Mazell's?"_

_She nodded, "That'll do."_

_Keith smiled and shook his head, "You are one expensive woman to keep."_

_Allura kissed him, "Hey, you still owe me for that."_

_"No," Lance interrupted their playful flirting.  "You owe all of us for having to put up with you two after that little incident."_

_Hunk nodded in agreement, "The two of you were almost impossible to deal with."_

_"It wasn't that bad," Keith said._

_"What are you talking about!"  Lance exclaimed, leaning forward.  "For months, every time the two of you were in the same room the tension was so thick it was like walking into a wall.  You both kept trying to steal little glances when the other wasn't looking.  It was sickening and sad."_

_"But you were able to get your work done," Pidge added.  "I always admired that about you guys."_

_"It wasn't easy," Keith admitted.  _

_"No, it wasn't," Allura agreed.  "Half the time I wanted to throw myself at you, the other half I wanted to smack you upside the head."_

_"What happened next?"  Darcy asked, pulling Lance back so she could see Keith and Allura._

_"Next came Nanny and Koran's interference," Keith muttered._

_  
"The Parade of Princes," Lance corrected. _

_"There were so many times I thought Keith was going to lose it and shoot a couple of them," Pidge said._

_"I almost did, especially that Prince from Planet Wollege."  Keith scowled._

_  
"I wouldn't have stopped you if you tried," Allura mumbled._

_"What happened," Becca asked._

_"As time went on, Voltron became better known and we became more comfortable with the Lions," Lance told her.  "The battles with Doom weren't as often and we continuously kicked their ass.  So, the rebuilding of Arus really began as well as the search for Allura's husband…}}_


	9. Rebuilding, Balls, and Rescue Missions

Hi all!  
  


Sorry for the delay, but there was so much going on with work and the holidays.  You know what it's like when life gets in the way.  Thank you so much for your patience and your wonderful, helpful reviews.  

Bell ~ You know, I was a little surprised when I read in the comic that Lance had a criminal record and they sprang him from jail for this mission, but then I realized that it fit his persona and I do like the way they've done him.  I just love their take on Hunk too and I kind of stole their idea of Pidge being a computer expert for my other stories.  And as for Sven, he is just creepy and they've already pretty much disposed of him.  I hope they delve deeper into him to find out what happened and why he is the way he is.  I also have to agree with you and RedLion2 about the scene were Lance interrupts Keith and Allura, very well done.

Enjoy!  
Failte

*************************************

Keith swiped the back of his hand over his forehead.  The sun was overhead and the heat was just starting to become unbearable.  He stood upright and stretched his back, taking in the scene before him.  The Force, along with the Princess and most of the townsfolk, had started to rebuild their planet.  A few homes had been completed the week before, but had been destroyed in a Doom attack three days earlier.    They were now in the process of putting up what would be the town's orphanage while others worked on personal homes.

Pidge was helping Hunk nail some boards while Lance showed Allura how to properly work a drill.  Keith watched as she laughed at some comment Lance had made.  Her hair was pulled back in a bun and damp tendrils fell around her face, sticking to her cheeks, which were rather red with exertion.  For the first time in days, she looked good.  Allura had been rather sluggish and pale lately, fueling worries about her health.  That morning she hadn't eaten much and had seemed rather out of sorts, but if anyone inquired after her health, Allura went on the defensive and waved them off.

It had been a long, hot day and Keith was ready to call everyone to break when Allura threw her head back to laugh again and she caught Keith watching her.

The two of them had come to an unspoken agreement.  They had to work together and as such they treated each other with solemn respect and a stiff friendliness.  He wished he could be as comfortable around her as Lance was, but it was too difficult to push aside deeper feelings for friendship.  And it didn't help to hear Nanny planning a ball so Allura could meet Princes from other planets.  Keith wouldn't mind so much if he didn't have to be there, but his presence, as well as the rest of the Force, were requested for security purposes.

With a sigh, Keith turned to beat a few more nails into the beam.  They could wait five more minutes for a break.

Allura cursed herself as she felt her heart constrict when she looked up and saw Keith watching her.  She didn't know how he continued to do it to her.  Every so often she would catch him watching her with an expression she couldn't read and it unnerved her.  But he had kept his word and had kept everything strictly professional.  What had happened?  She had come to know Keith for the kind, smart, hard working man that he was and she wanted to know why he had treated her like that.  It didn't seem to fit.  Their friendship sometimes seemed strained and other times they got along great.  More than once she had tried to subtly question Lance as to Keith's thoughts and feelings, but Lance was loyal to his friend and would not give up any information.  And to make matters worse, he was spending more time with Euclida Remikade, or Lida as Keith called her.  Allura scowled at the thought of the two of them.

He was certainly handsome.  Dressed in khaki carpenter's pants and a black t-shirt that showed off every ridge and valley of his muscled torso.  A utility belt hung low on his hips and the muscles in his arm and shoulder rippled as he swung the hammer.  His teeth were clenched, holding a half dozen nails between them and his hair was curling damply around his face.

"You okay, Princess?"

Lance's voice interrupted her thoughts and her cheeks reddened at being caught staring at Keith, "I'm fine, Lance."

"Well, we're just about done here, you can go see if Keith needs help if you want," Lance said slyly.

Allura shook her head, "No.  When I finish here, I need to meet with the elders to go over the town plans.  We're meeting tomorrow in the castle to look over the new blueprints."

Lance smiled and took a swig from his canteen, "You're spreading yourself thin, Allura, you need to take it easy once in a while."

"I can't do that, Lance, you know that.  But I do have the ball to look forward to."

"Are you _really_ looking forward to it?"

"Of course," her voice rose slightly, as it always did when she was hiding something.  "I love to dance and it will be so nice to see some people I haven't seen in years.  We haven't had a chance to celebrate in ages and it will be so much fun."  
  


Lance watched as she gestured mindlessly with her hands.  She was nervous and he knew why.  "Are you looking forward to meeting all the Princes?"

She looked down, twisting the drill in her hands.  "That's Nanny's thing.  I'm not ready to marry and she knows that, she just wants me to keep my options open."

"You're not ready to marry?  But I thought you had to."

"These are different times, Lance, I am flying with the Force, fighting for my planet.  I can put off getting married for a few more years."

"But wouldn't it be safer?  I mean, if you got married, wouldn't that discourage Lotor from trying to force you?"

She whirled on him, an angry expression on her face, "No one is going to force me into anything!"

Lance held his hands up, "Sorry, sorry, I just thought that it might be a good idea.  Who knows, maybe you'll meet the man of your dreams at this ball."

Allura sighed dejectedly, and mumbled, "I doubt that."

It had been hard for Lance, watching her and Keith dance around their feelings and knowing there was nothing they could do about it.  Allura threw herself into her work while Keith was starting a relationship with a woman he wasn't really in to.  There had to be a way around this and he intended to find a resolution as soon as time allowed.

"Allura!"  He reached out and grabbed her arm as she drilled a crooked hole through the beam. 

She hadn't been watching what she was doing, too distracted by Keith talking to Euclida Remikad.  The beautiful redhead was smiling up at the Captain, her hand resting on his arm while he spoke to her.  It was a cozy image that burned in Allura's heart.

Lance sighed and wrenched the tool from her hand, "They're just friends."

"What are you talking about, she's beautiful and smart.  The two of them are perfect together."  
  


"No, they're not."

Allura looked up at him, surprised, "How do you know?"

"Because I know Keith and I know his feelings lie with someone else," he told her cryptically.  
  
Blushing slightly, Allura busied herself by mopping her forehead with a handkerchief and then stuffing it into her pocket.  She shook her head, trying to clear the fog that seemed to be seeping in.

"Are you alright?"  Lance asked, taking her arm.

"I'm fine," she assured him.  "The heat is just getting to me."  In reality, Allura had been feeling lightheaded and a bit sick to her stomach all day, but she had been ignoring it, hoping it went away.  There was just no time for her to get sick now.

"Come on," he led her to a tree.  "Sit a moment in the shade."

She nodded, feeling weak kneed, "I'm fine, Lance."

"I know, but it is a hot day and the heat is getting to me too.  I think we could both use a break."

Keith watched as Lance walked Allura over to a tree, holding her by the arm.  Something wasn't right.

"Keith?"

He looked at Euclida, surprised to see her still there.  "Sorry, Lida, what did you say?"

"I asked if you had any idea how long it would take to finish rebuilding Alforia."

"Oh, uh, well, it depends," his gaze kept shifting to the Princess and his second-in-command.  "Doom is a continuing problem and if they are able to destroy what we build, who knows how long it will take."

"You seem distracted," she commented, following his gaze.  "It looks as though a break is needed."

"Yes, if you'll excuse me, Lida, I'm going to talk to my men, call a break."

"Of course," she nodded.  "If there is anything at all you need, please let me know."

Keith smiled and turned to tell Hunk and Pidge they could take a much needed break.

"You feel warm," Lance said as he helped Allura to the ground.  
  
"So do you," she retorted, leaning back against the tree.  "It's bloody hot out."

He pushed his canteen into her hands, "Drink this and when you're up to it, I'm going to walk you back to the castle."

She shook her head, "No, there is so much work to be done."

"It will get done, Allura, but we can't allow you to get sick."

With her eyes closed, Allura nodded slowly.

Keith made his way to the tree where Lance crouched beside Allura.  "Is everything alright?"

"The heat is taking its toll," Lance explained.

  
Keith swore softly and ran his hand through his hair, "I am so sorry, Princess, I should have called for a break earlier."

"You were too distracted with other prospects," Allura slurred.

"What?"  Keith asked, confused.  He looked at Lance who just smirked in response.

"Is everything alright?"  Hunk asked, coming over to join them.

"Yeah, we're just all long overdo for this break," Keith said.

"That's for sure," Pidge said, sitting on the ground.

"Allura," Lance tapped her cheek gently.  

Keith crouched down on the other side of the unconscious woman and laid a hand on her cheek, "She's burning up."

"She said she felt fine, the heat was just getting to her," Lance explained.

"We need to get her back to the castle," Keith lifted her effortlessly, ignoring the murmurs and glances from the surrounding people.  "Lance, keep an eye on things here, Pidge, come with me."

Lance nodded, "Sure thing, Cap."

"We'll be back soon," Keith said as he carried her to the cart they had ridden in from the Castle.

Pidge took the reins while Keith secured Allura to the seat with his arm around her shoulders.  She had yet to waken and he could feel the heat burning through her shirt and into his arm.  He should have insisted she take the day off, ignored her protests.  

Keith was afraid that he was pushing her too hard.  She was so young and had so much to attend to.  They could handle the rebuilding of the town while she did whatever she needed to do from the Castle.

As they approached, Keith pulled out his communicator and dialed up Castle Control.  "Koran, we're bringing the Princess in, make sure Dr. Gorma is on standby."

"What happened?"  Koran asked worriedly.

"She passed out and has a fever."

"We'll meet you at the door."

Keith snapped the communicator shut and reattached it to his belt.  Allura leaned heavily against him, breathing shallowly.  He looked down and saw her eyes flutter open.  "Allura?"

She smiled softly, "Keith."  

Pidge pulled back on the reins and the cart stopped a few feet from the door.

"How do you feel?"  Keith whispered. 

But it was too late, she had already slipped back into unconsciousness.  He lifted her from the seat and felt her tremor as he carried her to the door.

"What happened?"  Dr. Gorma asked.  He stood at the door with a gurney and one of his nurses.

Keith gingerly lowered Allura onto the bed and looked up at the doctor, "She passed out and is burning up.  We've all noticed that she's been out of sorts lately, pale and sluggish, but she refused to take time off to rest."

Dr. Gorma felt the Princess's face, feeling the heat, and pried her eyes open.  "We'll take it from here, Captain, thank you."

Keith watched him wheel the gurney toward the hospital wing before turning to Pidge, "Go ahead, head on back.  I'm going to stay here until we know what's wrong, then I'll come back."

Pidge nodded and saluted.

"What is going on?"  Nanny stood with her hands on her hips and glared at Keith when he walked into the waiting room.

He shrugged, "She passed out."  
  


"I knew it!"  She took a step closer, poking Keith in the chest with her finger.  "You boys are pushing her too hard!  She has so many responsibilities and you keep adding unnecessary stress."

He didn't respond, instead lowering his head so his chin rested on his chest.

"I want her to get more rest."

Keith nodded.

  
Nanny watched as he agreed with her, a little surprised, "Well, what do you have to say for yourself?"

"You're right Nanny."

"Oh, and what about flying?"

"That's up to her."

"No, you're the captain, you can dismiss her."

"I don't think I can."

"And why not?"

Keith raised his gaze to meet the older woman's, "Because she is the ruler of this planet and she has more right than any of us to fly a Lion."

Nanny threw her hands up and sighed angrily, "This has got to change."

Dr. Gorma walked out of the examining room, making notations in a file he held. 

"How is she?"  Nanny asked.

"She's exhausted and suffering from heat exhaustion," he explained.

"See!"  Nanny whirled on Keith.  "This is your fault, you're pushing her too hard."

"Will she be alright?"  Keith asked, ignoring Nanny.

"She'll be fine, Captain, with rest and fluids.  But I want her to stay in bed for the rest of the day.  We'll move her to her room in a few hours."

Keith nodded, "Thank you, Dr. Gorma.  I have to head back to the site, but I'll be back later.  Please, keep me updated on her condition."

"Will do."

***************************************

Later that evening, after dinner, Keith made his way to Allura's suite.  Dr. Gorma had released her into Nanny's care an hour earlier and she was resting comfortably.  He had returned to the site and assured everyone that the Princess was indeed going to be fine.  After some thought, he had decided to break the plans he had made with Euclida, telling her he was needed at the castle since the Princess was going to be out of commission for the night.

Euclida was a great girl and very beautiful.  The physical attraction was definitely there, Keith would have to be dead not to be attracted to her.  She was tall and willowy, with thick, wavy red hair and beautiful green eyes.  Her wit and intelligence made it a joy to talk with her and they got along well.  But was it going to go any deeper?  He doubted it.  Deep down, Keith knew he was just using her as a distraction and he knew that wasn't fair.  

Taking a deep breath, Keith approached the Princess' door and knocked softly. 

The door slid open and Nanny looked at him sternly, "What is it?"

"I came to see how the Princess was."

"She's resting, you can speak with her in the morning."

"Nanny, really," Allura's tired voice rose.  "Come in, Keith."

Annoyed, Nanny stepped aside, allowing Keith to pass.

Allura laid in her bed, her blonde hair spread out on the pillow, wearing a light blue nightgown that made her eyes stand out against the paleness of her beautiful face.  She looked so frail and delicate.  Keith's heart shuddered at the sight of this strong woman being forced to give in to the weakness of her body and he knew that he really was fooling himself.  Even if he could never have her, no woman, not even Euclida Remikade, could take her place in his heart.

"How are you feeling, Allura?"  He asked tenderly.

She smiled softly, "Tired and bored.  I was hoping to get more visitors, but I think Nanny is scaring them away."

"You need rest," Nanny insisted.

Keith leaned closer and lowered his voice, "Don't worry, I won't ever let Nanny scare me away."

A little color returned to her cheeks as she blushed.  "How, uh, how did things go this afternoon, in town?"

Keith pulled the desk chair over and sat beside her bed, "Things went very well.  They are very hard workers."

"They're excited, ready to get out of the caves and get on with their lives."

"If they keep it up the way their going, it won't be long."  He stopped and looked around the room, wondering how to broach the next subject.  "I, uh, I spoke to Dr. Gorma.  He wants you to take it easy tomorrow, so you're off practice."

"I have a lot to do tomorrow, Keith, I have meetings and…"

"Koran is taking care of the meeting with the elders."

"But I need to see the blueprints.  I need to clear everything before arrangements can be made to start building."  
  


"Nothing will be done without your consent, Allura.  Koran is just going to gather the information and go over it with you later."

Allura pouted, feeling useless.  "I guess you don't need me, huh?"

Keith rolled his eyes and smiled, "Of course we need you, we need you to be well.  Take a day, enjoy it."

She sighed, "Now you sound like Nanny."

"She's right Allura."

"I can do this, Keith."

"You're human, Allura, we all have our limits and it's important that you know yours.  We need you to be well."

Allura looked down to see Keith had clutched her hand in his, squeezing it.  "I know," she whispered.

Nanny cleared her throat loudly.

Keith dropped her hand, "Besides, you have a ball to attend in another week."

She turned away, not responding.

Standing, Keith patted her hand, "Just let me know if you need anything."

I need you, she wanted to tell him.  I need you to accept me, to love me, to be with me.  

"Thank you, Captain," she whispered, still not meeting his eyes.

**********************************************

"Is Euclida coming tonight?"  Lance asked.

He and Keith were in Castle Control, overseeing the arrival of the guests for the ball.

"Yeah, her father was invited and he's bringing her."

"So what, exactly, is going on between you two?"

"We're friends."

"Is that all?"

Keith nodded.

"Does Euclida know that?"

Keith didn't answer.

"This isn't fair to her," Lance lectured.  "If you aren't interested in her, it isn't fair to lead her on."

"I know, Lance, I don't need you to tell me that.  To be honest, I don't know what's going to happen.  Most relationships start out as friendships."

"Have you looked into this law anymore?  I mean, there has to be a way…"

Keith whipped his head up and silenced Lance with a look.  "Drop it, Lieutenant."

"Well, Euclida is a great girl."

"Yes, she is."  
  


"But she just isn't Allura."  
  


Before Keith could respond the door slid open and Allura swept into the room.  She wore an elaborate pink gown and a small tiara rested atop her hair that had been pulled back into an elegant twist.  Even with the irritated expression on her face, Keith thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

"Wow, Allura, you look amazing," Lance grinned.

She scowled, "All the better to snag a husband with, huh?"

"Hey, if you got it, flaunt it."

The meaning of Lance's words seeped into Keith's dulled senses.  "You just earned another shift, Lieutenant."

Allura looked at Keith and forgot whatever it was that Nanny had said to upset her.  He wore his dress uniform and had brushed his hair back, looking quite the gentleman.  There was no way any of the men who came tonight could compete with him.

Lance rolled his eyes as his two friends stared at each other.  "What can we do for you, Princess?"  
  


"What?"  She started from her thoughts.  "Oh, I was just wondering how everything was going, but, well, I really just wanted a break from Nanny."

"Ah, I understand," Lance winked at her.  "Well, I have to go help Hunk double check the perimeter.  Save a dance for me, huh?"

"Of course," Allura smiled at him.

And then they were alone.  Well, there were two other guards in the room and Koran was due back at any moment, but as far as Keith was concerned, they were alone.  

  
"I can't wait for this night to be over," Allura admitted, looking down at the monitors.

"I'm sure you'll have fun," he assured her.

She snorted, "Yeah."

They stood in a comfortable silence.  Keith kept his eyes on the screens before him, but all other senses were firmly attuned to her.  He felt the hair on his arms and the back of his neck rise when her skirts rustled and her hand brushed his.  The subtle scent of roses wafted into his nose and he found himself wanting to taste her, kiss her, feel her.  It was getting to be too much.

"Maybe you…"

  
"Is Euclida…" 

They both laughed nervously as they tried to speak at the same time.  
  
"Sorry, Allura, go ahead."

"Oh, I was just wondering if Euclida was coming tonight."

He looked at her puzzled, she had seen the guest list.  But then it had been her father who had received the invitation and since Euclida's mother had died a few years earlier, she was stepping in as his escort.  "Yes, she is accompanying her father."

Allura nodded, "Yes, well, glad to hear that.  You, uh, you two make a good couple."

Keith didn't answer.

"Ach, Princess!"  Nanny entered the room like a tornado.  "We have to get ready for you to make your entrance and there are people to greet.  The ball room is already bursting with people and you're in here wasting time we don't have!"

Keith heard Allura groan and he wished more than anything that he could tell Nanny what to do with the crowded ball room.

"When will you be coming?" She whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

"As soon as I can," he whispered back.

Allura nodded and followed Nanny from the room.

For ten quiet minutes, Keith watched the monitors.  The last of the guests had arrived and he was free to attend the ball, leaving the guards on duty in charge, but he didn't want to go.  Walking into the ball room meant he would be greeted by the sight of Allura talking and dancing with various men who were there to woo her.  He took a deep breath and tried to steel himself to the image, it was one he was just going to have to get used to.

More than once, Keith thought about seeking another position.   His staying on Arus was becoming a living hell, being so near her, but knowing he could never be with her.  But as long as Doom was a threat, he couldn't leave.  That was even more reason to defeat them, the sooner he could get off this planet, the better.

"Captain?"  Koran walked into Castle Control.  "Your presence is requested in the ball room."  
  


With a quiet sigh, Keith nodded.  "I was just making sure everything was set up in here."

"The guards can handle it, we need you on watch in the ball room."

With a curt nod, Keith followed Koran from the room.

The ball room was filled and loud.  A string quartet was set up in a corner, but were almost completely drowned out by the voices that rose and fell.  There was easily two hundred or so people gathered, Princes and their valets, town elders, and royalty from neighboring planets.  Maids and butlers moved through out the crowd with trays of champagne and small hors d'oeuvres.

Keith stood on the top step in front of the main entrance and spotted Allura without a problem.  She stood speaking to three princes, a fake smile pasted on her face while she listened intently to what one of the men were saying.  Tearing his gaze from her, he scanned the room, taking notice of where Lance, Hunk, and Pidge were, as well as making sure the exits were visible.  

"Keith."

He turned and saw Euclida.  She wore a fitted, low cut green dress that shimmered as she moved.  Her hair flowed down her shoulders and she smelled of wildflowers.  Despite himself, Keith felt a pull toward her.  Nothing like what he felt for Allura, but something simpler and purely physical.

He bowed, "Lida, you look lovely tonight."

"Thank you," She curtsied.  "You're looking handsome.  I haven't been able to see you in a while, how are you?"

"Good, thank you.  Things have been hectic, but their looking up.  How are you?  How is your father?"

"We're both well, thank you."

Keith nodded and looked up, meeting Allura's eyes from across the room.  

Euclida cleared her throat.

He realized she was speaking to him, "I'm sorry, what?"  .

"I'm wasting my time, aren't I?"

"Excuse me?"

She sighed, looking defeated, "I'm wasting my time.  I like you, Keith, really I do.  And I had held out a hope that you would some day feel the same."  
  


"I do like you, Lida," he insisted.

"But not in the way I was hoping."

He hung his head, unable to respond.

"She's an amazing woman and she obviously has feelings for you."

Keith shook his head, "It's not what you think."

"Yeah, I think it is," she leaned over and gave him a kiss on the cheek.  "Good luck, Keith."

"Princess Allura?"

Allura looked up at the man standing before her.  She had been so distracted by the sight of Euclida kissing Keith that she forgot there were three men standing with her.  She knew they had been seeing each other, but she hadn't seen them kiss before.  It hurt.

"I'm sorry, Prince Bernat, what were you saying?"

"I was asking how the building of Alforia was going."  The handsome young man asked her.

"It's, uh, it's going well, thank you.  So, uh, you're from Planet Hslakin, I've heard it's lovely there."

"Oh it is, Princess, you'll have to come and visit soon.  We have flowers indigenous to our planet that are breathtaking, but they pale in comparison to your beauty."

Allura smiled softly at his bad line, "Thank you."

Keith started his rounds, weaving through the crowd, trying to squelch his feelings of guilt about Euclida.  He kept up a constant scan, watching for anything out of the ordinary.  The other members of the Force were doing the same, although Lance would often stop and chat with a pretty girl.  Guards were set up at all three entrances, waiting for any instruction from Keith as needed.  

For the most part, the evening was going smoothly.  Hunk had broken up what might have been a fight between two Princes and sent them to opposite ends of the room.  After a couple of hours or so, he saw Allura looking tired and annoyed, she wanted to be there about as much as he did.  The dance floor was crowded with various couples twirling to the music of the quartet.  Allura was passed from one Prince to another, trying to keep up and smile.  Keith made his way to the drink table and grabbed a soda before turning to see Allura walk from the dance floor.

"I need a moment to sit down," Allura told the Prince who had asked her dance.  "I've been on my feet for quite a while."

"Of course, your Highness," he bowed.

Lance winked at Allura as she walked by, "How're you holding up?"

She rolled her eyes.

He laughed and continued with his rounds as Allura lowered herself into a chair beside an empty table.

The table wasn't empty for long.  Three Princes had come to join her.  She couldn't remember any of their names, but she smiled politely as they spoke to her.

Keith shook his head and started to make his way toward the main entrance, he needed some from fresh air.  All the people crammed into one room was making it warm and the air stale.  He nodded to the two guards and pushed through the door, entering the cool quietness of the hallway.  

Keith paced for a few moments, working out some frustrations and irritations.  He stopped suddenly when he heard the sounds of boots hitting the marble floor of the hallways.  Checking the two cross corridors, Keith saw no one, but he knew something wasn't right.

Returning to the ball room, he stood in front of the door, scanning the crowd.  That's when he saw them.  Four Drule soldiers had somehow slipped into the room.  
  


"Allura," he whispered, running into the room, pushing through people.  He heard the first blaster shot, followed by screams and shouts, just as he spotted Allura.  She hadn't heard the shot, just the commotion that followed and she stood, looking around confused.  Keith swore, she was suddenly standing out in the crowd.

Another shot was fired as Keith dove over the table and tackled Allura under him, ignoring the yells and cries of the three Princes who had been at the table with her.

"What's going on?"  Allura demanded, looking up at Keith who was pinning her to the ground, beneath him.

"Doom," he hissed, unclipping his communicator.

"Where?  I didn't see them."  She shifted under him, trying to ignore the tingling that coursed through her body, burning everywhere his body came in contact with hers.

  
"What?  You don't believe me?"  He asked, dialing up Lance as two more shots were fired and more screams were heard.

"Collier," Lance called into the communicator.

"Lance, I have the Princess in the northwest corner of the room by the dance floor, I need you to get over here and get her."

"On my way."

Keith raised his head and looked over the table.  It was pandemonium.  People were pushing out of the three exits.  Lotor stood in the middle of the room, flanked by two guards, two other Drule soldiers lay dead on the floor.  He pulled out his communicator and called for more guards.

"Why are you here?"  Allura whispered angrily, crouching beside him.

"What?"

"Why are you here?  Shouldn't you be shielding Euclida from Doom?"

Keith turned to look at her, shocked, "I'm here for you."

"I don't need you, I can protect myself," she gathered her skirts and started to move from behind the table.

"Dammit," Keith grabbed her around the waist and yanked her back.  "Stop it.  Lotor is here, Allura."

"Then you better go make sure your little girlfriend is alright."

"What the hell is your problem?"

Allura stuck out her chin, "Don't talk to me like that, Captain, I demand more respect."

"This is neither the time nor the place, Allura."

"I know you're here, Princess," Lotor's voice rose above the noise in the room.  "I see you hiding behind the table with the Captain."

Keith swore again just as Lance slid across the floor.

"It's about time, Lieutenant."

"I did what I could.  Koran and the guards are moving everyone to other rooms in the Castle, he knew you had Allura."  
  


"He doesn't _have_ me," Allura snarled.

Lance looked at her strangely.

"Get her out of here," Keith said.

"Princess," Lotor sang.  "I heard you were looking for a Prince to marry, well, I'm here."

Allura let out a shaky breath and moved to stand.  Keith grabbed her and shoved her towards Lance.

  
"Don't be stupid," he muttered before standing.  "I don't believe you were invited, Lotor."

"Captain, how wonderful to see you again."

Keith pulled out his blaster and aimed it at Lotor, "Give me one reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now."

Lotor shrugged, "Fine." He snapped his fingers and another guard walked over, clutching a struggling Euclida.

Keith lowered his weapon and swore softly.  "Let her go, Lotor."

"What?  Worried for your little girlfriend?"  Lotor mocked.

"Come on," Lance whispered to Allura.  "Let's get you out of here while Lotor's distracted."

"We can't leave Keith," she insisted.

"I'll be back with reinforcements.  Come on."

"Drop your weapon," Lotor told Keith, pointing his own blaster at Euclida.

Very slowly, Keith lowered his weapon to the floor and rose with both hands in the air.

"Good," he never moved his gaze from the Captain.  "Where do you think you're going, Princess?"

Lance and Allura stopped on the steps that lead to the main entrance.  

"Just let the women go, Lotor, they're innocent."  Keith spoke up.

"I came here for the Princess and I'm not leaving without her."

"Lance, get her out of here, that's an order," Keith said, not breaking eye contact with the man in front of him.

"I'm not leaving without her," Lotor repeated, leveling his gun at Keith.  
  


"Over my dead body," he snarled.

"That can be arranged."  

Allura screamed as the laser hit Keith.  

He gritted his teeth and tried to ignore the intense burning in his left shoulder.  "Lance, get her out of here now."

"No!"  Allura screamed as Lance dragged her from the room.  "Keith!  No!  Please Lotor!"

Lotor shifted his gaze from the screaming, struggling Princess to the man before him, fighting to stay upright as the pain clouded his vision.

"Lance!"  Keith yelled, falling to his knees as the pain became too much.

Lance pulled Allura through the door, trying to avoid her swinging limbs.

"Put me down Lance, I mean it!"  She shouted.  "Don't you see?  He won't hurt me, but he'll hurt Keith.  Let me go!  You can't just leave him in there!"

"Hunk, help me," Lance said, passing the squirming woman to his friend.  "I'm going back in, Princess but without you."  He turned and hurried back into the ball room, blaster in hand.  
  


"Let me go!"  Allura's heel slammed into Hunk's knee, causing him to drop her.  She got her feet beneath her, gathered her skirts and raced after Lance.

The ball room was empty except for Lance who was scanning the room and Euclida who was collapsed on the floor sobbing.  
  
"Lance, where is he?"  Allura swallowed her fear at the sight of the puddle of blood where Keith had been.

"Dammit, I told you not to come in here," Lance said before turning to the crying woman on the floor.  "What happened?"

She looked up at him through the red hair that had fallen into her face, speaking through her tears.  "L-lotor s-said something ab-about h-how Keith would n-never be good enough for the P-Princess and he was going to t-teach him a l-lesson about his p-place."

Lance swore again and turned to Allura, "Come on, Princess, looks like we have a rescue mission on our hands."


	10. The Truth Comes Out

Lance sprang into action.  He ran from the ball room with Allura at his heels, unclipping his communicator from his belt and contacting Hunk and Pidge.

  
"Pidge, I want you in Castle Control, now!  Get a signal from Keith's homing device.  Hunk, find Koran, have him get Miss Remikade to the hospital wing and have her checked out, then meet us in Castle Control."

"Yes, sir!"  The two men chimed.

Allura stayed close to Lance as he hurried toward Castle Control, waving off interruptions and ignoring anyone who tried to question him.  As they approached the control center, Nanny grabbed Allura by the arm and pulled her to a stop.

"What is going on?"  The older woman demanded.

"Lotor has Keith, we're going to go rescue him.  I need you and Koran to make sure everyone is calm, I have to go."  She wrenched her arm from Nanny's grasp and followed Lance into Castle Control.

"I've got it Lance!"  Pidge called from the main console.  "It's moving, they're heading Southeast, towards Doom."

"Alright gang, gather round," Lance waved Hunk, Pidge, and Allura over.  "We already know Keith is injured, we just don't know how bad.  The most important thing is that we get him back here as quickly as possible, since we only have four pilots, we can't form Votron.  We'll head to Doom and perform a covert mission, sneaking into the castle.  Shoot as necessary.  Hunk, when we find Keith, we will most likely need you to get him on the Lion, got it?"

"Yes, sir," all three replied.

"To your Lions!"

**************************************

Keith grunted as Lotor's fist came in contact with his stomach. The pain was excruciating.  One of the guards had roughly tied a strip of fabric around his shoulder to try and stem the bleeding, but it didn't.  His shoulder throbbed and his arm was going numb.  Having both arms held tightly behind his back didn't help either.

"You fool," Lotor spat.  "I thought you were screwing the redhead, wasn't she enough?"

Keith didn't answer.

"You will answer when I ask you a question."  Lotor slammed his fist into Keith's face, sending his head snapping backwards.  Grabbing the Voltron Captain's uninjured shoulder, he pulled him from the guards grasp and closer to him, "I saw you look at the Princess.  She is above you, beyond you.  She is mine.  If I ever find out that you so much as touched her, I will kill you in the slowest, most painful way possible."  Lotor threw him to the ground.  "As it is, you will be further proof to my father that Voltron is not unattainable for us."

Keith waited until the door slid shut and rolled over onto his back, gasping for breath, trying to block out the pain.  He struggled to reach his communicator only to see it on the floor a few feet away, smashed.  He swore and closed his eyes.

**************************************

"We lost the connection," Pidge called through the open communication line.

"What?"  Lance yelled back.

"The homing signal, it's gone."

"Damn," Lance swore.

"It probably means Lotor discovered the communicator," Hunk pointed out.

"We'll continue on course to Doom," Lance instructed before opening a private line to Blue.  "How're you holding up, Princess?"

She gave him a steely glare, "I'm fine."

"We'll get him back."

"I know."

"He'll be fine."

"I know, Lance, why are you telling me this?"

"Because I think you need to hear it."

Allura stared at him, at a loss for words.

"We've got a ship on radar, Lance," Hunk said.  "I think it might be Lotor's."

"Alright, hang back a bit," Lance told him.  "We want to try and stay out of their radar range."  
  


It seemed to take forever, but in reality it had taken them twenty minutes to reach Doom.  They carefully lowered the Lions about half a mile from the Doom Castle.  The planet was showing signs of wear, the woods were dark and mostly dead.  The ground was all brown and dry, the small buildings surrounding the castle were dilapidated, and the castle itself was starting to crack and crumble.

Allura involuntarily shuddered as she slipped from Blue, her weapon in hand.

"Stay behind us," Lance hissed at her.  "If anything happens to you, Keith will have our heads."

Allura scowled at him.

Lance led the way, creeping along the treeline, dodging around small homes.  Hunk followed, then the Princess and Pidge bringing up the rear.

******************************************

Two guards entered the small closet where Keith was lying.  They pulled him roughly to his feet, earning a groan of pain from the nearly unconscious man.  He was half carried, half dragged off the ship and into the Castle.  

Zarkon greeted his son in the throne room, "Were to finally able to get your Princess?"  He asked sarcastically.

"Even better, Father, I have Captain Keith Whitaker of the Voltron Force," Lotor declared proudly.

Zarkon raised a thick black eyebrow, a look of amusement on his face, "Oh, do you?  Where is he?"

"The guards are bringing him in."

"This could be interesting," Zarkon rose slowly from his throne as the door opened and Keith was dragged into the room.  "Fool!  He's injured."

"I had to, Father, he was threatening me.  And so what if he is?  We don't need him," Lotor said eagerly.  "With him out of the way, we can get the Princess without a problem."

"Forget that, you fool, forget that little trollop, we want something bigger, something better.  With the Captain as a bargaining chip, I bet we can get the Princess to hand over the Keys to the Lions."

  
"What?  Why would she do that?  She wouldn't hand over the keys just for the Captain."

"Haggar!"  Zarkon called for the witch before turning to his son.  "Are you really that stupid?  There is more than just an employer/employee relationship going on between the Princess and the Captain."

"I know they're friends, but she wouldn't give up her planet for _him_."  Lotor insisted.

"Yes, M'Lord," Haggar appeared at Zarkon's side, cradling her cat in her arms.

"See what you can do for the Captain.  Take him to the upper dungeon and heal him, but not completely, we do want him still under our control."

Lotor watched as the guards carried the unconscious man out of the room, Haggar gliding behind them.  "You don't know what your doing, Father."

Zarkon ignored him, "As soon as he's healed, we'll contact Arus, see about swapping."

"Father, Princess Allura will not swap him for the Lions!  She won't do that for some Captain who can be easily replaced!"

"No," Zarkon lowered himself onto his throne with a smug smile.  "But she will do it for the man she loves."

Lotor paled, remembering the Princess' reaction to Keith being shot.  "But…but he's nothing, a commoner."

"Love knows nothing about titles or boundaries."

Anger turned Lotor's face a dark, vivid purple, "And what do you know about love?"  He turned on his heel and whirled around, storming from the room.

********************************************

Lance scanned the castle from his vantage point behind a clump of dried bushes.  He could see only one entrance and it was surrounded by at least a dozen guards.  

"Psst, Lance," Hunk hissed.

Lance looked over his shoulder to see the big man crouching down, holding a scared young man by the arm.  "What's going on, Hunk?"

"I just found Fforden here, he says he knows a back way into the castle," Hunk whispered.

Lance looked the boy over, he couldn't have been more than sixteen and was emaciated to the point of starvation, "Who are you?"

His voice shook as he spoke, "I, uh, I'm a, uh, a slave f-for K-king Zarkon."

"Why are you willing to help us?"

"If…if I h-help you, can I, uh, c-can I come with you?"

Lance sighed, they didn't really have a choice, "If you can help us get in and out with our Captain you can come with us.  Any funny business and we shoot you on the spot, got it?"

A flash of hope flitted across Fforden's face, "Yes, sir."

"Now tell me what you know."

"There is a, uh, a large tree by the, uh, the northwest corner of the castle, near the tallest battlement.  Just behind the tree is a small, white stone in the wall, press it and a door opens, leading to a secret pathway through the castle.  It leads to the dungeons and the throne room."

Lance rubbed his chin, he knew they didn't have a lot of time and Keith was in danger.  "Alright, you lead the way, take us to the dungeons and then lead us out.  Try anything and we take you down."

Fforden nodded excitedly.  The worst that could happen is that he be discovered by one of the guards and he was shot to death, the best thing would be leaving Doom forever.  

Lance stayed low, creeping behind the young man, followed by Allura, Hunk, and Pidge.  They found the tree and the white stone.  The tunnel they entered was dark and dank, the sound of water dripping echoed around them.  Lance kept his weapon trained on Fforden's back as they followed him deeper into the castle and almost ran into him when the boy stopped short.  The sound of heels clicking on the stone floor had them all pressing back against the wall in the shadows of the tunnel.

Keys jangled and a door creaked open, there was some shuffling and then Lotor's voice.

"Do you love Princess Allura?"  

Lance could feel Allura tremble beside him.

"No."  Came Keith's hoarse response.

  
There was the unmistakable sound of bone on bone as Lotor punched Keith in the face.

Allura gasped, but stopped when Lance clutched her arm.

Lotor leaned over Keith who was on his hands and knees, he grabbed a handful of black hair and yanked the Captain's head back.  "Don't make me ask again, do you love her?"

"No, she's just a job," Keith hissed through clenched teeth.  

Lotor struck Keith again, causing him to hit the floor against his still sore shoulder.  Whatever magic Haggar had used had closed the wound, but did very little to stop the pain.

"Does she love you?"  

"I don't know."

Lotor's foot shot out and the tip of his pointed boot came in sharp contact with Keith's ribs.  "That is not the answer I want, does she love you?"

Lance squeezed Allura's arm, feeling her shake against him.

"No," Keith groaned.

Lotor kicked him again and then yanked him up by the hair, "You are nothing!  You cannot have her!  You are nothing!  A pilot!  You fool!"  

The Force members listened as Lotor pummeled their Captain.  Lance chanced a glance around the corner and saw four guards in front of the door, at least three others a little further down the hall and who knew if there were any more inside the cell with Lotor.  If they tried to attack now, they would not only be outnumbered but it was definitely a death sentence for Keith.

"Don't lie to me!"  Lotor roared.  "I have your life in my hands right now!"

Allura let out a small cry that had Hunk putting a hand over her mouth.  Silent tears bounced off his thumb as he silenced her.

"You cannot have her!  If it wasn't that my Father wanted you, I would kill you know, you worthless piece of dung."  Lotor pushed him to the floor again, standing over him.  "You are below her, you can never have her!"  With one last kick, Lotor whirled from the room, swirling his cape around him.

Keith rolled onto his back, his arm over his sore chest.  Pain radiated through his beaten body and he prayed for unconsciousness to come back and take all this away.

Lance watched as Lotor stormed past their hidden doorway, flanked by four guards.  He waited a moment before looking around the corner to see only three guards by the door.  "Hunk, Pidge, come with me, Allura, hang back and cover us."

With three quick shots, they disposed of the three guards.  Hunk patted down the fallen men to find they didn't have any keys.  Not wanting to waste time, Lance blew the lock off the door with one shot.  They found Keith curled up on the floor somewhere between awake and asleep.

"Hunk," Lance whispered. 

Without another word, Hunk carefully lifted Keith and slung him over his shoulder.  Pidge stood at the door keeping watch out, with the coast clear, he waved them through.

Fforden led the way, followed by Pidge, Allura, Hunk, and finally Lance.  Pidge had to take out a guard and Lance had to take down two more before they made it to the Lions.  Keith was strapped into Yellow with Hunk while Fforden climbed into Green with Pidge.

Very little was said as they flew at full speed back to Arus.  Keith had slipped into unconsciousness and remained so for the entire trip.  It took them just over twenty minutes to land on the green field behind the castle.  

Dr. Gorma met them at the door with a gurney and a nurse.  Lance handed Fforden over to Koran to be searched and questioned before joining the rest of the Force in the waiting room.  
  
"Where's Allura?"  He asked Pidge.

"She, uh, she said she was going to get a shower and change."

Lance sighed heavily and sank into the chair beside him.

"What is going on between Keith and Allura?"  Pidge asked suddenly.

"I don't know," Lance murmured, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"We're not stupid, Lance, something is going on and things have been rather tense lately.   If Allura is out of Keith's sight for too long, he flips out.  If you mention Euclida Remikade in front of Allura, you practically see the steam coming out of her ears."

"It's none of our business, Pidge."

"With all due respect, Lance," Hunk spoke up.  "If it affects all of us, it is our business.  You saw how she was behaving, she was actually crying during the rescue."

"They're in love with each other, but they can't be together."  Lance opened his eyes when there was no response and took in the open mouthed stares of his teammates.  

"Why can't they be together?"  Pidge asked after a moment.

Lance rubbed the back of his neck and looked at his friends, "You know what, maybe you guys can help me.  First of all, you can't tell Keith I told you about this."

Hunk and Pidge looked at each other, unsure about keeping something from their commander.

"He asked me not to tell Allura, but he didn't say anything about you guys and you can help me find a way around it."

"Alright, what is it?"  Hunk asked.

Lance explained to them everything Keith had told him about the law and how he could never be with Allura.  "Now, without telling Keith, I want to find this law.  I find it rather hard to believe."

"It could very well be true," Pidge said, pushing his glasses up his nose.  "There are many monarchies that refuse to allow marriage outside of royalty."

"We have to find a way around the law then," Lance said.  "We have to do it for Keith and Allura."

"Do you really think they're in love?"  Hunk asked.

"Yes, I do.  And think about it, the two of them are perfect together and miserable apart."

"But Allura doesn't know about this law?"  Pidge asked.

"I don't know.  Keith doesn't want her to know about the conversation he had with Koran.  But if we can find a way around this law, then Keith will be free to tell Allura how he feels."

Hunk quietly paced the room while Pidge stared at the tips of his boots.  

"Guys?"

"Alright," Hunk sighed.

Pidge looked up, "I know where the books on Arusian law are in the library."

Lance grinned, "You guys are awesome."

"Lieutenant."

Lance jumped to his feet when Dr. Gorma entered the room.  "How is he?"

"He's taken a beating.  He has a cracked rib, a sprained wrist, a dislocated shoulder, and numerous bumps and bruises.  The shot to his arm had been healed, probably by the witch.  I'm keeping him here overnight for observation, then I'll probably let him go to his room tomorrow, but I won't know for sure until he wakes."

Lance nodded, "Thank you, Doctor.  Can we see him?"

"He's asleep now and I gave him something that will keep him asleep through the night.  I would suggest you come back in the morning."

"Will you contact me if there are any changes or if he wakes?"

"Of course, Lieutenant."

"What now, Lance?"  Pidge asked as they filed out of the hospital.

"I'm going to check on Allura, you guys can go grab something to eat."

"I'm not really hungry," Pidge admitted.  "I'm going to head to the library."

Lance clapped him on the shoulder, "I'll meet you there in a little while."

*********

Allura sat on her vanity bench and pulled a brush through her hair.  She had cried herself tired in the shower.  Why she was crying, she wasn't sure.  Was it because Keith didn't love her?  Was it because her feelings were so obvious to everyone and he didn't return them?   Was that why he had been running hot and cold with her?  He didn't know how to act around her knowing how she felt.

She heaved a sigh and laid her brush on the vanity.  Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Allura resolved to change.  It was time for her to grow up, give up on childish crushes. 

As she sat there, she rationalized her behavior.  She wasn't a stupid girl.  The members of the Force were the first men, aside from her father and Koran, who she had spent any amount of time with.  They rode to her rescue on their white horses, or rather their giant mechanical lions, and saved her planet.  They were all funny and kind.  Of course she would be attracted to their leader, a strong, smart, kind, handsome man.  And funny.  He did have a sweet sort of sense of humor that came out when you least expected it.  And he always thought of everyone else before himself.  As soon as the ground had thawed, he had helped her till the soil and plant flowers where her mother's garden had once been.  He had put so much time and effort into protecting her planet and her people.  He was the most amazing man she had ever known.  And she was head over heels in love with him.

With a groan, Allura buried her hands in her face, thankful that she had cried herself dry.

"Allura?"  Lance called softly as he knocked on the door. 

She lifted her head and checked her appearance in the mirror.  There really wasn't much use in lying to him.  She stood and crossed to open the door.  Lance greeted her with a concerned look and a gentle smile.

"How're you doing?"  He asked.

"I'm fine, how's the Captain?"

"He's pretty beat up, but Dr. Gorma said he'll be alright.  He should be able to return to his room tomorrow."

"Good, good.  Glad to hear that."

"Allura," he reached out and took her hand.  "Everything will be alright."

"No it won't Lance!"  She pulled her hand from his and angrily paced her room.  "I was a total waste today!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I was completely useless on the rescue."

"No you weren't…"

"Yes I was!  You guys had to watch out for me, Hunk had to put a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't give us away, I had to stay back when you went to get…to get Keith."

"Allura, you had our backs and, well, it's okay.  You aren't as used to this as we are.  Do you think it was easy for me? He's my best friend, Allura, it took every ounce of willpower and control that I have to keep from running in there guns blazing.  You did fine and you will only get better with time."

She sank onto the edge of her bed, her face in her hands.

"It will come with time, Allura, I swear it," Lance walked over and placed a hand on her shoulder.  "You cannot give up, we need you.  Arus needs you."

"I know that Lance," She looked up at him with wet eyes and twisted her hands in her lap.  "I just don't know how much longer I can do this.  I am so tired."

He knelt before her and took her hands in his, "Don't say that."

"There is so much going on…"

"And we're here for you.  All you have to do is ask and we'll help."

"…and I don't know how much more I can take…"

"You're a strong woman hitting a rough patch, you can't let it stop you."

"…and I'm in love with a man who doesn't love me back…"  A sob tore from deep within her and she ripped her hands from his, burying her face again.

Lance sat on the bed beside her and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.  "That's not true," he whispered.

"You h-heard him," she sobbed.

"He was telling Lotor what he wanted to hear, he was trying to protect you."

"He said I was just a job."

"Allura, you are not _just_ a job to any of us."

"What about E-Euclida?"

"They broke up tonight."

She looked up at him with red eyes.

"Tonight at the ball, he told me about it before Lotor arrived."

"Why?  They were so perfect together."

  
"No, Allura, they weren't.  It wasn't fair for him to lead her on when he couldn't love her."

"Oh no," she gasped, running the back of her hands over her cheeks.  "I said some terrible things to him tonight."

"Don't worry about it."

"No, what if…what if he had…what if something really bad had happened to him and the last thing I said to him was that I demanded more respect.  I was really mean to him."

Lance smiled at her, "Don't worry about it."  He walked over to her vanity to retrieve a box of tissues.

She twisted the tissue in her hands and stared at her lap for quite a few minutes, worrying Lance.

  
"What is it, Allura?"

"You think he likes me?"  She whispered.

"It's complicated, Allura" Lance sighed.  "But don't ever think that he doesn't care for you."

She jumped to her feet, "I have to see him."

"Dr. Gorma said he will be unconscious for a while, probably until morning."

"I don't care."  And with that she swept from her room, leaving Lance sitting on her bed watching her go.

"Ach!"  Nanny appeared in the doorway.  "What are you doing in the Princess' room?"

Lance stood, placing the tissues on her bedside table, "Causing trouble."

********************************************

Allura nodded to the nurse on duty and entered Keith's room.  Dr. Gorma stood beside the bed, making notes on his chart.

  
"How is he, Doctor?"  Allura whispered.

"Your Highness," he bowed.  "He'll be fine in a couple of days."

"Still sleeping?"

"Yes, Princess, he's strongly medicated and I don't expect him to wake any time soon."

Allura crept to the bedside.  Keith laid on the bed, his shoulder wrapped in gauze, a bright purple bruise stood out on his pale face.  

Dr. Gorma snapped the file shut, "I have things to attend to, if you need anything, just call."  
  


Allura nodded, "Thank you."

He crept from the room, shutting the door behind him.

As soon as she was alone, Allura sank into the chair beside the bed, "Well, it looks like you're going to be fine.  I'm glad, I was worried."  She straightened the blanket and smoothed out the wrinkles.  "So, uh, so Lance tells me you and, uh, you and Euclida broke up.  I'm sorry to hear that."  Gently stroking the back of his hand, Allura felt tears gather in her eyes.  "You guys have been here for just over a year and I have become close to all of you.  I just couldn't imagine my life without you guys.  In Hunk and Pidge I have found the big and little brothers I've always wanted.  Lance, well, Lance is Lance.  I love him dearly, he has become one of the closest friends I've ever had and I don't know what I would do without him.  My memories of Sven will always be fond.  He was a great man and I will miss him forever."

She sighed and slipped her fingers through his, "And then there is you, Captain Keith Whitaker.  I don't know what to think about you.  Lance says it's complicated, but I don't understand why.  I don't know how to explain my feelings for you, I think because I don't fully understand them myself.  I think…I think," she lowered her voice to barely whisper.  "I think I love you, Keith, and I don't know what to do about it."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

**AUTHOR'S NOTE**:  I just wanted to comment on a question in a review from a while ago.  The first fanfic I wrote was called 'Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder', it was my first shot at a K/A story.  Originally I was going to tie this into that story, now I've decided otherwise.  So if you've read that story, you can pretend you never did :)

Thanks for the awesome reviews!  You guys rock!

Failte


	11. Explain Men To Me

_{{  "And you heard me," Allura smiled up at her husband._

_He returned her grin, "Yes I did.  But I thought I had dreamt it."_

_"Well, you were pretty drugged," Lance pointed out._

_"And I did get better at missions and rescues," Allura added._

_"Yeah," Hunk agreed.  "You became one of the best soldiers we'd ever known."_

_Lance stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his ankles, slinging his arm across the back of the couch, "Yeah, well, she had some great teachers."_

_"I know.   I don't know what I would've done without Hunk and Pidge."  Allura sighed._

_Darcy poked Lance in the side, "Stop fishing for compliments."_

_He pouted, "If I'm fishing for compliments, then I'm using the wrong bait.  It didn't work."_

_"Poor, baby, I'll take your bait later."_

_"Alright, enough of that, you're going to make us sick," Pidge groaned._

_"What happened next?"  Becca asked._

_"Well, to say that Zarkon and Lotor were angry was a huge understatement," Lance said.  "The fact that we were able to sneak into their castle and get Keith out had them really pissed, but they were no where near as peeved as Keith was with Allura's latest suitor…}}_

Lance was on duty in Castle Control the next morning when the door slid open and Allura walked in.  He greeted her with a grin, "How're you this beautiful morning?"

"I'm doing alright," she smiled weakly.  "How are you?"

"Just fine.  Have you been to see Keith this morning?"

"No, I was going to see him after I checked in with you," she crossed over and stood beside him.  "And I wanted to thank you for last night, for, uh, listening to me."

Lance laid a hand on her shoulder, "Anytime, Princess, I'm always here to talk or to listen."

"Thank you, Lance.  There are times I just don't know what I would do without you guys."

"And if you need us to beat up any Princes who get fresh, all you have to do is ask."  
  


A grin flashed across her face while she threw her arms around his neck in a friendly hug, "Thanks Lance."

They jumped apart at the sound of the door sliding open.

"Keith!  What are you doing up?"  Lance asked, hurrying over to help his friend.

Keith limped in, cradling his injured wrist to his chest, "I couldn't stay in the hospital any longer."  As Lance approached, Keith lowered his voice, "And what have I told you about the Princess?"

"It's not what it looks like, man," Lance grinned and took Keith by his good arm.

"How're you feeling, Keith?"  Allura asked, nervously tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.  

"A little sore, but I'll be fine.  Any word from Doom?"

"Not yet," Lance told him, flipping through the log.  "All clear through the night and this morning."

"There's going to be payback," Keith warned.

"We'll be ready," Allura assured him.

"Did you have practice this morning?"

"Yes, sir, Allura shot at 79%."  Lance winked at her.

Keith nodded, "Good job, Princess, you're getting better."

The door slid open and Nanny hurried in excitedly, "Oh, Princess, I have the most wonderful news!"

"You're going to lay off this whole marriage thing for a while?"  Allura asked.

Nanny crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the young woman, "Don't get sassy with me, Princess.  No, I wanted to tell you that Prince Kelton from Planet Wollege is coming to visit!"

Allura furrowed her brow, "Who?"

Lance looked at Keith and mouthed 'Kelton?'

"The most eligible and handsome Prince in the galaxy," Nanny clasped her hands together.  "And Wollege is one of the wealthiest planets in the galaxy."

"I thought it was half destroyed by Doom," Keith spoke up.

Nanny turned to him, "They've rebuilt."

"Only after coming to an agreement with Doom," Lance added.

"They did what they had to do to survive."

"Nanny, I will not get involved with a man who has aligned himself with Doom."  Allura said.

  
Keith sighed, "He didn't really align himself with Doom, Princess, he did fight back and when it became obvious that Wollege didn't have anything to offer Doom, Zarkon left the planet, leaving behind a few guards to instill fear in the people there."

Allura glared at him while Lance groaned and rolled his eyes.

Nanny smiled, "That's right, Captain.  Prince Kelton has done very well by his people and the two of you would be great together.  He's a gentleman and he is oh so handsome."  
  


Allura sighed, "When is he coming and how long is he staying."

"Don't be so dramatic, Your Highness, he is coming the day after tomorrow and staying for an indefinite amount of time."

"An _indefinite_ amount of time?"  Allura repeated.

"Trust me, Princess, he is the man for you and he will be here for as long as it takes to properly court you."

Allura's mouth fell open in shock.

"Can he really leave his planet that long?"  Lance asked.

"He is leaving his brother in charge," Nanny explained.

"Where is he going to be staying?"  Keith asked.

"Oh, he will have a room in the south wing, away from the Princess, it will all be proper."

"Do I get a say in this?"  Allura asked angrily.

"Of course, you can pick your wedding dress," Nanny smiled, amused by her try at humor.  "I am going to go make sure his room is already."

The three of them watched as Nanny swept from the room, muttering to herself.

Allura threw her hands in the air, "I don't know what to do!"  
  


"I can refuse his ship permission to land," Keith suggested.

"Oh, would you, please?"

"Yeah, like I would want to have to deal with Nanny's wrath for doing that."

"We could just accidentally shoot his ship down," Lance said nonchalantly.

"As long as you don't do any permanent damage," Allura muttered.

"Princess," Keith warned with a smile.

She shrugged, "What can I say…"  Allura stopped at the beeping coming from the main console.

Lance turned and glanced at the monitor, "This is it."  He flipped the switch, setting off the alarm.

Hunk, Pidge, and Koran were in Castle Control within moments.

"What's up?"  Hunk asked.

"We've got company and it looks like a robeast," Lance said.

"Everyone to your Lions," Keith instructed.

"But Keith," Allura grabbed his arm.  "You aren't up to fighting."

"We don't really have a choice, Princess.  With a robeast, we need Voltron and you can't really do that with four Lions."  With that he turned and raced toward Black's tube.  

Ignoring the pain, Keith called them into formation, watching as the coffin ship seemed to float to the ground.  With a hiss and groan, the lid opened and a horrendous beast, like one they'd never seen before, rose.  It was taller than Voltron, a hideous green-brown color, and shaped like a bug.  Four arms swiped at the air while two antennae waved around its head.  With the swing of an arm, six trees were knocked down.

  
"We need Voltron," Keith called out unnecessarily.

The beast seemed to study Voltron with a detached interest.  It swung out with two arms and shook Voltron, almost causing the giant robot to fall.  

"Alright, I don't feel like dealing with this," Keith yelled.  "Form Blazing Sword!"

With a flash and a chink of metal, Red gripped the Blazing Sword in its mouth.  Voltron swung with all its force and caused the bug beast to sway, but not fall.  They raised the sword again and sliced one if it's arms off, causing the beast to lose its balance.

"How're you holding up, Cap?"  Lance called, noticing the sweat pouring down Keith's face.

Keith grunted in response.

"Come on guys, let's take care of this giant piece of crap," Lance shouted.

The Blazing Sword rose again and sliced off two more arms.  With a battle cry, they raised the sword one more time and brought it down, slicing the beast in half.  

Keith stumbled into Castle Control, falling into the chair beside the main console, gasping for breath.  

"Maybe you should go back to the hospital," Hunk suggested.

Keith shook his head, "I want to assess the damage before I go lay down."

"I'll take care of it," Allura told him. "Go lay down."

"No, we need to know…" he stood unsteadily at the beeping that signaled an incoming message.

"Captain!"  Zarkon called jovially.  "How are you?"

"What do you want Zarkon?"  Keith asked through gritted teeth.

"Not much, the Lions, Arus, oh and I think my son fancies the Princess."

"You're a really riot, Zarkon.  Isn't it about time you realized you don't have a shot in hell?  You cannot defeat Voltron."

Zarkon raised his eyebrows, "That sounds like a challenge."

"Zarkon," Allura appeared at Keith's side.  "This is totally unacceptable!  We will not stand by and allow you to just attack Arus.  You have a fight on your hands and you will not win."

"Princess Allura," he drawled.  "I see you've developed some self confidence, your father would be proud."

"Don't even mention my father," she spat.

"He was a fool, just as you are.  This is not over, Princess."  And with that, Zarkon closed the communication.

Keith laid a gentle hand on her arm while she stared at the black screen, breathing heavily.  "Allura?"

"Keith, go lay down," she snapped into action.  "Don't argue with me, that's an order.  Koran I want a full damage report.  Lance, I believe you're still on duty.  Hunk, Pidge, help Koran."

"Allura…" Keith whispered as the others went about their business.

  
"Don't Keith."

He squeezed her arm and turned to limp from the room.

********************************************************

"Princess!"  Nanny knocked excitedly on Allura's door a couple of days later.  Barging in, she declared, "Oh, you look lovely!   You will take Prince Kelton's breath away!"

Allura sighed deeply, "I really don't want to do this, Nanny."

"Stop being so childish," Nanny sprayed more perfume on the young woman.  "You have a responsibility to your planet and your people.  Now stand up, let me see."

Allura stood and stepped away from her vanity.  She wore a long, full skirted pink dress with a cinched waist and long sleeves that ended at points on the back of her hands.  Her hair was down cascading past her shoulders and to her waist in thick curls.  Nanny placed her tiara on her head and secured it with a couple of hair pins.

"Nanny, I'm not ready to get married and have children," Allura whispered.

The older woman clucked her tongue, "You don't know what you want, Princess.  Trust me, once you get to know the Prince, you will see how ready you are for marriage."

The Force was already standing by the tarmac when Allura and Nanny arrived.  They were required to meet and greet the Prince.  Keith watched as Allura crossed to stand with them, she looked so forlorn and a little terrified.  His heart broke a little when he saw her.  

Lance winked at the Princess, earning a disapproving glare from Nanny, "How're you holding up?"

"I'm wondering how well I can fake illness," she whispered back.

"If he steps out of line, just say the word, we'll take care of him."

She gave him a weak smile, "Thanks, Lance."

The roar of an approaching ship interrupted their conversation.  It was a medium sized transport ship with enough room to comfortably fit the Prince, a valet, and the pilot.  Allura unconsciously took a step closer to Keith as the ship landed.  He fought the urge to reach out and grasp her hand.

Nanny grinned excitedly and clasped her hands together as they listened to the whirring of gears and the door opened.  A gangplank lowered and Prince Kelton stepped down.

Allura's eyes widened.

"You have got to be shitting me," Lance whispered.

Keith kicked his foot to shut him up.

"Geez, Cap," Hunk whispered.  "Are you sure you don't have a long lost twin?"

With his thick black hair that brushed his collar, big brown eyes, and tall, muscular physique, there was a definite similarity between the Prince and their Captain.

With a charming smile, Prince Kelton bowed deeply before taking Allura's hand and bringing it to his lips.  "Princess Allura, it's a pleasure."  His voice was deep and rich.

Allura curtsied, "Prince Kelton, welcome to Arus."

Kelton bent his arm at the elbow and offered it to Allura who gently laid her arm in the crook of his arm.  "Please forgive my absence from your ball the other evening, Princess.  My brother was unwell and I could not leave him."

"I'm so sorry to hear that, I hope he is well now."  
  
"Yes, thank you, it was just a bug, he will be fine."

"I can't believe this," Lance whispered as they followed the Princess and Prince into the castle.

"It's scary really," Pidge muttered.

Keith wheeled around and looked at his men, "Stop it right now.  I don't want you guys to cause trouble for the Princess."

"Come on, Keith, even you have to see it," Lance gestured toward the door Prince Kelton had just disappeared into.

"So he has dark hair, that doesn't mean anything."

Lance leaned closer, bringing the others with him, "I think Nanny did this on purpose.  She thinks if she can find someone who looks like you, then Allura will forget about you."

Keith blushed slightly, unaware that Lance had told Pidge and Hunk about his feelings.  "Don't start with that crap, Lance."

"But," Hunk added.  "Allura is smarter than that, it isn't just Keith's looks she's into."  
  


"Yeah, there is no way this Kelton can stand up to you, Keith," Pidge said.

"Alright, alright, enough," Keith raised his voice.  "There is nothing between the Princess and I and there never will be.  Just drop it!"  He turned to head inside, but stopped when a thought occurred to him and he turned back.  "And none of you are to do anything to make the Prince's stay anything but pleasant.  Understand?"

"Yes sir."

"Aye, Captain."

"Come on, Keith…"  
  


"_No_ Lance."

"Damn."  
  


"Oh, Keith, guys, come, meet the Prince," Allura ushered them into Castle Control.  "Prince Kelton, I would like to introduce you to Captain Keith Whitaker, Lieutenant Lance Collier, Lieutenant Hunk Landers, and Lieutenant Pidge Audric, the Voltron Force."

Prince Kelton bowed deeply, "It is a pleasure, gentlemen."

Keith returned the bow, stiffly.  Lance waved, Hunk grinned, and Pidge stuffed his hands in his pockets, rocked back on his heels and said, "Hiya, Prince."

Nanny clucked her tongue disapprovingly.

Lance leaned over to Hunk and whispered, "If she keeps clucking every time we do or say something that pisses her off, she's going to sprain her tongue."

Hunk snorted, but stopped when he caught Keith glaring at him.

"Prince Kelton," Nanny shuffled over to him. "If you and your man will follow me, I will show you to your room so you can freshen up before supper."

The Prince bowed to her, "You are a most gracious host.  Thank you."

Nanny blushed and twittered, "Oh, oh, why thank you, Prince Kelton.  Come with me."

Allura turned to her friends, a little pink cheeked.  "I can't believe Nanny is fawning over him like that."  
  


"You seemed to be fawning yourself," Keith muttered.

Lance groaned.

"I was being polite, Captain, there is a difference," Allura huffed.

Pidge shrugged, "He's seems nice."

"Yes he does," she agreed.

"So you're going to court him?"  Hunk asked.

"I, uh, I don't know," she stammered.  "I have to be nice to him, show him around Arus."

Lance felt rather than saw Keith tense beside him.  "That doesn't necessarily mean you're courting him," Lance pointed out.

She shrugged, blushing slightly, "I've never actually courted anyone before."

Keith clenched his teeth.

"Uh, well, I think we should, uh, go get ready for dinner."  Hunk said, hoping to head off any possible confrontations.

"Yes, Hunk, you're right."  Allura grabbed her skirts and turned away, leaving them behind.

As soon as she was out of the room, Lance turned and smacked Keith upside the head, "Don't be such an idiot."

"Excuse me, Lieutenant?"

"You heard me, Keith."

Before Keith could respond, Lance walked out of the room, his hands in his pockets, whistling.

********************************************************

"…and then the little boy looked up at me and said 'You know, for a Prince you're not real smart.'"

"Oh, my," Allura gasped.  "What did you do?"

Prince Kelton smiled at her across the dinner table, "What could I do, he's just a young boy.  So I gave him a job in the stables."

"Oh, how kind of you," Nanny beamed.

"He's really a good kid, just misguided.  And he is wonderful with the animals."

Keith continued to push his food around his plate, trying to ignore the annoying habit Prince Kelton had of being so damn perfect.  So far he had been witty, charming, and the kindest gentleman Nanny had ever met.  He looked up when he felt Lance kick his foot and was greeted by the sight of his best friend crossing his eyes at him.

"So tell me, Princess," Kelton set his fork down and leaned forward.  "What's it like flying one of the Voltron Lions?"

"Oh, it's very exciting," Allura grinned, always animated when she talks about the Lions.  "They're so powerful and beautiful.  I really love the fact that I am helping to defend my planet."

"Maybe you can take me for a ride, sometime?"  He asked hopefully.

"Uh, well," Allura turned to Keith.  "I don't think that will be a problem."

"They're war ships," Keith said.  "We don't take non-military personnel up in the Lions."

"Ah, I understand," Kelton said good naturedly.  "Maybe someday that will change."

"I doubt it," Keith muttered.

Hunk cleared his throat, "So, uh, Prince Kelton, tell us about Wollege, is it anything like Arus?"

********************************************************************

"What is your problem?"

Keith looked up from where he was flipping through the log when he heard Allura speaking to him.  It was getting late and he was in Castle Control on duty.  "What are you talking about, Allura?"

"I'm talking about the way you were unforgivably rude to Prince Kelton earlier."

He looked back at the papers he held in his hand, "I wasn't rude."

"You were quiet…"

"I was tired."  
  


"And you wouldn't let him go for a ride in the Lions…"

"No non-military personnel are allowed in the Lions."

"Since when?"  She demanded.

Keith slammed the log closed, "Since today."

"What is your problem with him?"

"I don't like him."

Allura took a step closer, her hands on her hips, "He's perfectly nice.  Why don't you like him?"

Keith crossed his arms over his chest, ignoring the ache in his still sore wrist.  "_I don't have to like him, _I'm_ not the one marrying him."_

"I didn't say I was marrying him."  
  


"Then why is he here?"

"It was Nanny's idea."

"You don't seem to be fighting too hard."  
  


Allura felt tears well up in her eyes, feeling angry and embarrassed, she snapped, "No, you aren't the one marrying him, so you can just back off you…you big jerk!"  Gathering her skirts in her hands, she whirled around and stormed out of the room.

"Way to go," Keith whispered to himself.

********************************************************

Over the next few days, Keith spent most of his time locked in his study, the one place he knew he wouldn't run into the Princess or Prince Kelton.  Things were quiet and the other members of the Force had been very well behaved.  He knew Pidge was spending a lot of time in the library, but what the Green pilot was doing, he didn't know.

Standing and stretching, Keith walked over to the window that over looked what would eventually be Allura's garden.  They had already planted some local wildflowers and the month before Keith had ordered a surprise from Terra for Allura.  Her birthday was coming up and he had ordered half a dozen rose bushes from Terra.  

It was a beautiful day out and Keith was just contemplating taking a walk up to Black's monument when a movement caught his eye.  Allura had her hand tucked demurely into Kelton's elbow while she gestured with the other, obviously showing him the garden and explaining what else they were planning to do.  Kelton took the hand she had laid on his arm and laced his fingers with hers, Allura stopped and looked at him and then their hands.  Keith silently pleaded with her to take her hand away, but she didn't.

*******************************************************

"I found it!"  Pidge ran into the rec room where Hunk was beating Lance at a video game.

Lance didn't look up, "Found what?  Dammit, Hunk, that's cheating!"  
  


"It is not, I'm just better at this game than you are."  
  


"The law, guys," Pidge lowered his voice.  "The one about Allura not being allowed to marry anyone but royalty."

"What's it say?" Lance asked as his car passed Hunk's.

Pidge sat on the floor beside them with a large tome in his lap, "It's an old law, dating back 328 years.  And it says:

'No person of ruling status may marry out of the circle of royalty.  Any person of ruling status who does marry outside the circle will have to renounce their right to the crown and the rights of any of said person's offspring.'"

"Well, it's short and to the point," Lance muttered, holding out his hand for the book.  "But that was over three centuries ago, there has to have been a way around it."

"Not that I've found yet," Pidge said, taking his glasses off and wiping them on his shirt.  "There have been a few instances where the ruling monarch gives up the throne, but there was always someone else to take over for them."

"Alright, I don't go on duty for a few more hours," Hunk stood and stretched.  "I'll help you look."

"Yeah, I guess I can help too," Lance sighed.  "I don't know why, but Allura and the Prince seem to be getting closer."

********************************************************

"Princess," Kelton whispered.  "I know we've only known each a short time…"

"Four days," Allura smiled.

He returned her smile, "That's right, and I hope you don't think I'm being to forward, but I am of the belief that when you know it's right why wait?"

Allura shifted uncomfortably and removed her hand from his, "I am not in any hurry, Your Highness."

"How many times must I remind you, please call me Kelton," he took her hand before she could get away. "We are all at war, Allura, and it is important for both of our planets to have an heir, or two."

"With all due respect, sir," she pulled her hand from his grasp.  "I am not ready to marry and, while I am fond of you, I am not in love with you."

He smiled indulgingly at her, "Oh, my dear Allura, love is for fairy tales.  I am offering you the comfort and protection of a well-respected planet.  We will develop a relationship built on respect and the love will come later."  
  


Allura looked at him as though he had grown two heads, "I'm sorry, Prince Kelton, but that is not what I am looking for."

"Don't be so naive," his tone dropped.

"I will not be spoken to in such a manner," she thrust her chin out.

"Your governess told me…"

"I am a grown woman, she is no longer my governess."

"Well then I suggest you start acting like a grown woman and show me you don't need a governess."

Allura's mouth fell open, "I think you need to leave my planet, Prince Kelton."  

His expression changed, "You don't mean that."

"Yes, I do.  I will not be spoken to like that while you're trying to bully me into a marriage I am not interested in."

"I thought you were more interested in what was best for Arus," Kelton said, grabbing her arm.

Allura cringed, wishing she hadn't sent away the guards, "I am and I know you are not what is best for Arus."

He grabbed her other arm, "You don't know what you're saying.  Don't you see?  Our planets together would create the greatest merger in the universe!  We could rule together as the most powerful couple in the galaxy."

Allura's lip curled in disgust, "Merger?  You sound just like Lotor."  She stamped her foot hard down on his, feeling oddly satisfied when he dropped her arms and hopped back a few steps.

"Don't ever compare me to that monster," he hissed.  "He almost ruined my planet and my people.  We are only now just really starting to rebuild."  
  


Realization dawned on Allura, "And you thought the Force and Voltron would rebuild your planet for you if you married me."

"No, Princess, I find you very attractive, and you're smart and sweet, I want to marry you.  We could have beautiful children.  Together we can rebuild our planets and defeat Doom."

"Voltron is a Defender, if your planet is ever in trouble, contact us and if we can help we will, but marriage is not part of the deal."

He threw his hands up in the air, "Why aren't you getting it?  Our marriage would be the best possible thing for both our planets."

"For our planets, maybe.  For me, no."

"I cannot believe how selfish and immature you're being."

Allura struck out and slapped him across the face, "I have learned what it is like to love someone and I will never settle for anything less."

Kelton brought a hand to his face, anger in his eyes.  With his other hand, he grabbed her arm roughly and pulled her closer, "You struck me."

"And I will do it again if you don't let me go."

"Don't threaten me," he tightened his grip.

"Let me go now and you will be able to leave Arus without incident."  Allura sounded braver than she felt.

"What," he lowered his voice.  "Do you think anyone will believe you if you told them Prince Kelton was unkind to you?  Your _Nanny seems to think I am the greatest thing to walk on the surface of your planet."  
  
_

"Someone will see," she hissed, struggling in his grasp, feeling him tighten his grip on her.

"No, they won't." 

Without her realizing it, Kelton had somehow moved them into a secluded section of the garden by the castle wall where they were hidden from sight by a tree and two large bushes.  

Allura struck out again, but he was ready this time and grasped her wrist before it came in contact with face.  He was also prepared for her feet by moving so she was unable to stamp on his foot or knee him in any place uncomfortable.

"Listen to me, Princess," he brought his face down close to hers.  "Don't fight me.  I have been searching and I have found that my union with you would be the best for my planet and yours."

"No."

"You speak of love," he whispered.  "Do you speak of your Captain?"

She didn't answer, but looked away.

"Don't be a fool, you cannot marry outside of royalty.  Why do you think your Nanny was so thrilled when she saw my photograph?  Even you have to notice the similarities."  

"Let me go," she pulled at her arms.

"Marry me."

"No."

She actually felt the bruises form as his fingers pressed into her skin.

"You are going to want to rethink that, Princess."

"No, you may look like him, but you will never be half the man he is."

"Let her go."

Kelton looked up, his cheeks pink and his eyes glinting with irritation.  "This is none of your business."

Keith took a step forward, calmly unholstering his weapon, "Let her go before I have to shoot you."

"You wouldn't shoot me, I have the Princess."  
  


"I am a trained sniper, Kelton, I can put a hole between your eyes and not even graze a hair on her head."

A flicker of fear flashed in the Prince's eyes before he let go of Allura's arms and raised his hands.

"I want you to walk ahead of me, keep your hands where I can see them."  Keith instructed.

When they reached Castle Control, Keith handed the Prince over to two guards with the instructions to escort him directly to his ship.  As soon as his valet had everything packed and on the ship, they were to leave.

Keith knew Allura had been with them when they had entered Castle Control, but she had since slipped out.  After making sure everything was taken care of with Kelton, Keith made his way to the Princess' room, but was stopped by Nanny.

"The Princess is upset and doesn't want to see anyone."

He suddenly realized how old and tired Nanny seemed.

"But she's alright?"

"Yes, Captain, she'll be fine."

************************************************************************

Keith woke in the middle of the night, an annoying ache in his chest.  Dr. Gorma had said he was healing well, but it would be a little while yet before the pain completely went away.  All it took was for him to roll over the wrong way in his sleep and the pain had him awake.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he stumbled into the bathroom, pulling open the medicine cabinet and taking out the aspirin.  The rumbling in his stomach had him remembering that he had worked through dinner.  Wondering what Nanny had made, Keith wandered down the dark hallway toward the kitchen.

He wasn't really surprised to find someone already there.

Allura jumped and looked up guiltily when the door slid open.

"Princess, what are you doing up?" 

She smiled and swirled her spoon in the bowl of ice cream in front of her, "I couldn't sleep, what about you?"

He shrugged, "I forgot to eat dinner."

"How do you forget to eat dinner?"

"I was working on some reports and the next thing I knew I was falling asleep at my desk."

"I think the guys finished up dinner."

Keith pulled open the door to the refrigeration unit, "I'm sure I'll find something."

Allura continued to mix the ice cream soup in her bowl, "You were right about Prince Kelton."

"I wish I wasn't," he sighed.

There was a clink as she set her spoon down, "Keith, can you please explain men to me?"

Silently, he turned and sat across from her at the table, his sandwich in front of him, "What do you mean?"

"What do men want?  I mean, I have met more men this past week than I've ever known in my life.  Do you realize that not one of the Princes at the ball asked me about myself?  They had all sorts of questions about Arus and Voltron, but nothing about me.  Why?  What's wrong with me?  None of them were interested in me, just my planet and Voltron.  I thought Kelton might have been different, boy was I wrong."

"It's not you, Allura," Keith assured her.  "It's them."

"Well, that's an easy answer," she pouted.  "Not one of the men I spoke to could tell you anything about me.  Not my full name or my birthday or my favorite color or…"

"Allura Arianna Aerwyn," Keith interrupted.  "June 3, well, that's the Terran date, I believe the Arusian date is Disin 14th, and yellow."

"What?"

"You full name is Allura Arianna, your mother's name, Aerwyn, your birthday is next month, and your favorite color is yellow, but everyone thinks it's pink."

"How do you know that?"

"Well, your name was easy, as one of your guards, I need to know things like that."

"Oh," she whispered, a little disappointed.  It all came down to her being a job.

"As for your birthday, well, it's just one of those things I know about you and your favorite color because when we were planting the flowers out in the garden you mentioned it when we were planting the flowers I though were daisies."

"The rontes."

"Yeah, those."

She smiled, "Why can't the Princes be more like you, I mean, you guys?"

"Some men are just stupid, they don't realize what a wonderful woman they have right in front of them."

Allura blushed, but met his eye, "That's true."

Keith cleared his throat and looked down at his half eaten sandwich, "Yes, well, sometimes men do things that seem stupid but in the end everyone realizes it was the right thing."

She furrowed her brow, "What?"

"It will all make sense some day."

"Why are you being so mysterious?"

Because I love you!  He wanted to shout.  

"I'm not being mysterious," he took a bite from his sandwich.

"Yes, you are. What are you playing at?"

"Nothing," he stood and walked to the sink, dumping his plate in.  "We have practice, early."

"I know."

"Do you want me to escort you back to your room?" Keith asked as he crossed to the door.

"No, thank you, I'll be fine," she said, watching as he moved agitatedly.  "I wish you would tell me what was going on."  
  


He stopped, one hand on the doorframe, "I just wish things could be different."

"Keith."

He looked at her.

"Are you really a trained sniper?"

He smiled weakly, "No."

"What if he hadn't let me go?"

"I would have attacked him with my bare hands."

She nodded.

"Good night, Princess."

"Good night, Keith."


	12. A Prisoner In Her Own Castle

Hi all!

Once again, all relative disclaimers apply.

Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews, I really do appreciate the time you are putting into reading my story and reviewing, it means a lot to me.

The story is about to take a big turn ;-)

Enjoy,

Failte

_*********************************************_

_{{  "Why didn't you just tell her, Keith?"  Becca asked._

_"Since we couldn't be together, I thought it would be for the best if we didn't even acknowledge it.  I honestly didn't think she felt anything for me, or at least I was able to convince myself she didn't."  He told her.  "Besides, I was here to lead the Voltron Force, not to hit on the Princess."_

_"You were being an idiot," Allura said sweetly._

_"What else could I have done?"_

_"We could have talked about it, figured away to be together.  You have no idea how hard it was for me to have all these princes shoved my way, thinking I would have to settle for one of them because you could never love me."_

_"Can you imagine what it was like for me?"  He countered.  "I had to watch you with all those princes and know I could never be with you."_

_"And do you know what it was like for the rest of us to have to watch the two of you drool over each other and then you would each complain to me about your unrequited love," Lance added._

_"Okay, okay, so it was hard all around," Hunk said with a smile._

_"Yeah, Nanny only waited a month after Prince Kelton before she started inviting the princes back," Keith mumbled._

_"It did suck," Lance agreed.  "There was more than once when we had to play babysitter for one of them."_

_"And then there were the times we were attacked when a prince was visiting.  Remember Prince Myler?  He actually cried when the castle was hit."  Pidge recalled._

_"Yeah, there were a lot of wankers masquerading as princes," Lance said._

_"Yeah, well, I remember one time Keith was acting like a wanker," Hunk added._

_"What are you talking about?"  Keith asked._

_"Remember that one prince Allura actually liked?  What was his name?  Donatello?"_

_"Donato."  Allura supplied._

_"That's right, Prince Donato," Lance grinned.  "That was when Keith almost crashed Black into a mountain."_

_"Yeah, he caught sight of Allura and Donato walking through the garden," Pidge added.  "Donato picked one of the roses off a bush Keith had given her for her birthday and presented it to Allura."_

_Hunk chuckled, "Lance was able to get his attention at the last moment and Keith pulled up, scrapping Black on the mountain."  
  
_

_"It was a horrendous noise," Allura shivered.  "At first I thought he had crashed."_

_"Nope, just a bruised ego," Lance said._

_"Okay, so you guys had to deal with all these princes, but how did you finally get together?  How did you find a way around the law?"  Becca asked._

_ "It took some time," Pidge told her.  "We were at war and a lot got in the way…}}_

Allura walked through her freshly planted garden, brushing her hand over the budding roses.  On the morning of her birthday, Keith had led her to the garden, her eyes closed, where he had surprised her with the bushes.  They had then spent a couple of hours with the guys deciding where to put them, digging the holes and then planting them.  Yellow roses blossomed on two of the bushes, while red, pink, and white roses grew on three others and the last bush was a hybrid flower that bloomed yellow with pink edges.  

She smiled as she remembered back on that morning.  Keith had said she reminded him of roses because of her perfume.  At first she hadn't understood what he meant, she didn't normally wear perfume.  What he was smelling was her shampoo, and the scent was derived from a moisturizing plant that grew on Arus, it was actually a rather ugly plant, but its scent was similar to roses.  The fact that he had even noticed brought a smile to her face.

When they finished planting the bushes, Nanny met them at the door with a picnic basket.  The rest of the afternoon was spent by the lake picnicking and swimming.  Lance had given her a camera so she could take her own pictures, Hunk had found a photo album for her to fill, and Pidge had given her a collection of Terran stories.  It was the best birthday she had ever had.

"Princess."

Allura looked up and gasped.   "Lotor."

He bowed deeply, "You look lovely today."

"What do you want?"  She asked as she slid her hand into her pocket.

He pointed a gun at her, "I want you to keep your hands where I can see them."

Allura slowly raised her hands and silently pleaded that Keith would come looking for her as he often did.

"I wanted to apologize for missing your birthday," Lotor smiled.

"That's alright, you weren't missed."

"You have developed quite an attitude.  We must separate you from those uncouth boys you've been spending so much time with."

"If you leave now, Lotor, you will be allowed to get back to Doom alive."

He chuckled, "I love your optimism, Princess."

With her heart racing, she asked again, "What do you want?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped when her communicator went off.

  
"If I don't answer, they're going to know something is wrong."

Lotor smiled and leaned closer, tracing his finger down her cheek, "I wanted you to know that I can get to you whenever I want to."

The beeping stopped and Allura watched him, her mouth open.

His grin grew and he winked at her before disappearing into the woods.

"Princess!"

Allura shook her head and looked around at the sound of Hunk calling her.

"Princess!"

"Uh, yeah, Hunk, I'm here," she turned and hurried over to him.

"Are you okay?"  Hunk took in her pale face.  "We just tried to page you and you didn't answer.  Is your communicator broken?  Let me see it."

"Uh, no, come on, let's go inside."

"What happened, Princess?"  
  


"Lotor was here.  I want to get inside, I'll explain then."

Hunk quickly scanned the area while wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling his blaster from his holster.

"Is everything alright?"  Keith asked as they joined him and Koran in Castle Control.

Allura looked around and nodded.

Keith called Lance and Pidge back from where ever they had gone to look for her before turning to the Princess.  "Is your communicator broken?"

"No.  Keith…"  
  


"Then why didn't you answer?"  He asked angrily.  "I don't care where you are or what you are doing, you stop and answer when you are paged."

"Keith, calm down," Hunk said.

"Captain, you will not talk to the Princess like that," Koran warned.

Keith took a deep breath and asked in a calmer tone, "What happened?"

"Lotor was here," she whispered.

He took a step closer, "Where is he?  What happened?"

Lance and Pidge both walked into the room, asking what was going on.

"Lotor was here," Allura repeated.  "He sneaked up on me in the garden.  He told me he wanted me to know that he could get to me whenever he wanted to."

Keith felt a chill race through him and fought the urge to shiver.  He turned to the console to call in some guards.  After instructing them to do a full sweep of the area and shot any Doom soldier they see on sight, he turned to Koran and asked him to fetch Nanny.

"What are you doing, Keith?"  Lance asked.

The Captain didn't answer.  He stood silently in front of the console, his feet spread, his arms crossed over his chest, and his lips pursed.

"This had better be important," Nanny said as she hurried into the room.  "I'm busy planning for Prince Petrian's visit."

"Allura just told us," Keith said.  "That Lotor was just here.  We were lucky this time, but he has found the obvious holes in our security and we cannot allow it to happen again.  As of right now, we are halting the Prince visits until further notice."

"Captain, I must…" Nanny started but was stopped with one look from Keith.

"Let's be honest here, Nanny, Allura is not interested and nothing is coming from all this other than having us entertain annoying young men while we're supposed to be fighting a war and rebuilding the planet.  We need to crack down on security.  Princess," he turned to the young woman beside him.  "You are not to go anywhere without a guard or one of us, that includes the garden."

"Come on, Keith, I can handle myself," she told him.

"What did you do today?"

She looked away, knowing that if her communicator hadn't gone off or if Hunk hadn't shown up, she didn't know what she would have done.

"At night I want at least one guard outside her bedroom door and we have three female guards with us right now and they will rotate staying in her room."

"Oh, come on, Keith," Allura muttered.

"Your suite has a small parlor, we can set up a cot in there," he said.  "We are cracking down on security and it starts today.  I will put together a new schedule."

"Yes, sir," Hunk, Pidge, and Lance all intoned.  

Nanny's face was bright red, but she didn't respond.

"That sounds good," Koran said.  "I, personally, will compose the letters to the Princes who had been invited and explain the situation."

"Don't give away too much," Keith warned.

"I won't."

"You want me take over for you so you can get started on the schedule?"  Lance asked Keith.

  
"Yeah, man, thanks."  He turned to the Princess.  "What are your plans now, Allura?"

She stood quietly, still going over all that Keith had just said in her mind.  Was she really about to become a prisoner in her house?  Damn Lotor!  How did he get on the planet without them knowing?  It had to have been with his witch.  

"Allura?"

"Oh, uh, I'm going to the library."

"What are you doing there?"  He asked, curiously.

"I want to see if Father had any books on witches.  She must be the reason Lotor was able to get onto Arus."

Pidge appeared at her side, "I was just heading there, Princess, I can escort you."

"Is that really necessary?"  She asked.

"No, really I was going there, I'm finding, uh, some really good books there," he told her lamely.

Keith nodded to him.

Allura sighed, but followed the Green pilot from the room.

"She doesn't like this," Lance said.

"Too bad.  It's for her own good," Keith responded.

"You're always thinking of what's best for her, huh?"

"Well, somewhere along the line, our job description has come to include the Princess' security."

"Uh huh."

"Knock it off, Lance."

"Keith and Allura sittin' in a tree," Lance sang.

"Keep it up and I'm putting you on KP with Nanny."

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G…"

"First comes love," Hunk joined in.

"Then comes marriage, then comes little Keiths in a baby carriage."  They finished together.

"Would you two grow up?"  Keith asked, irritated.  "Hunk, I think Green needs a quick once over, why don't you go check her out.  She was pulling to the side in practice this morning."

"Yes sir," Hunk saluted and left, whistling softly.

Keith whirled on Lance, angry, "You have got to stop that!  You're going to start rumors."

"Oh, come on Keith!  Who do you think you're fooling?  Everyone knows how you feel."

"What are you talking about?"

"Why do you think Nanny is pushing Allura to marry?  To get her away from you."

Keith furrowed his brow, "Do you really think that?"

"Yes, but don't worry, we're working on it."

"What are you talking about, Lieutenant?"

"Nothing, I just don't want you to worry about it."  
  


"Dammit, Lance, I don't want you getting involved."

"Too late man, I already am."

"What?"

"Huh?"

Keith shook his head, "I'll be back to relieve you later."

"Yeah, try not to make it too late, I have a date tonight."

"Oh yeah, who?"

Lance grinned, "A certain young lady by the name of Gallia."

"Allura's maid?"

"Yeah, I think she might be the one."

"You think every one might be the _one."_

"Hey, man, don't pick on me because I'm not afraid to go after the woman I want."

Keith sighed, "I'll be back when I'm finished."

***********************************************************************

Keith was bent over his desk.  He had finished putting together new schedules and was planning on calling a meeting within the hour.  But first he wanted to go over their current security measures.  There was always room for improvement and since they wouldn't have to keep the skies open for all the princes, it would be easier to secure the airspace.

Maybe it was time they started air patrols.  And it wouldn't hurt to up the number of patrols around the castle grounds.  They had been able to hire more people and double the number of castle guards over the past year and a half, that was certainly helping.  Maybe they should contact the Garrison and see if they could send more soldiers to train as guards, particularly more females.

He pushed aside the papers in front of him and rubbed his hands over his face.  Why was this happening?  Why couldn't Lotor take a hint and leave her alone?  It was bad enough having to deal with the attacks and robeasts without having to worry about Lotor just appearing in the garden or, even worse, the castle.

Pushing back from the desk, Keith stood and gathered the schedules.  After posting them in Castle Control, he called together the guards to fill them in on what was going on.  He explained the new schedules and spoke to the three female guards about staying with the Princess.

By the time he finished with his meetings, it was time for dinner.  Feeling worn out, Keith made his way to the dining room.  They had long ago stopped waiting for Keith when it came to dinner, more often then not he worked straight through.

"How's it going, Cap?"  Hunk asked.

"Good, I met with all the guards and the new schedule is up."

"Koran is on duty now," Lance said.  "I told him one of us will take over for him after dinner."

"Yeah, I'll take over, thanks Lance."  Keith looked up at Allura, "Did you find anything in the library?"

"I found a few things on the history of witchcraft, but nothing real helpful.  I was thinking…" she trailed off.

"Thinking about what?"

"Well, I know this man, he was friends with my father.  A wizard.  I was thinking he might be able to help us."

Keith rubbed his chin and sat back, "I don't know about this."

"He's a respectable man, Keith, Koran can vouch for him."

"What do you think he'll be able to do?"

"He can probably offer some advice, maybe help us come up with a better way to protect the castle."

"What's his name?"

"Kadmus," she told him.  "He and my father were friends, I haven't seen him in years.  Every so often he does send me a note saying that he keeps an eye on me and that if I ever need help I can just send a message to his home planet and they will know how to get him."

"He keeps an eye on you?"  Keith asked.

"He's a good man, Keith, I've known him my whole life."

He nodded, "Alright, we'll see what we can do about getting in touch with him."

**************************

Allura was quiet for the rest of dinner, pushing her food around her plate and answering any questions with monosyllabic responses.  Keith watched her, worried that she was taking all of this too hard.  She was already under so many restrictions, now it was worse.  She was, essentially a prisoner in her own castle.

"If you'll excuse me, I'm going to find Koran," Allura pushed her chair back and stood.  
  
Keith got to his feet, "I'll escort you."

"That's not necessary, Keith."

"I would like to speak with you."

Her gaze met his and she relented, nodding her consent.

"I know this is hard for you," Keith started as the door closed behind them.  "But it's for your own good."

"Yeah, well, I'm sick of everything being done for my own good," she mumbled.

"Allura, as long as Lotor can get past our security, we have to strengthen our measures.  It may be inconvenient for a while…"

"Oh, so now I'm an inconvenience?"

"That's not what I meant, Allura, don't put words in my mouth.  We have a job to do and it…"

"That's right, a job.  That's all this is to you, a job!"

Keith threw his hands in the air, "What is wrong?  I'm trying to make you understand..."

"Understand what, Keith?  That I'm a bothersome job to you?  Why are you still on Arus?  I'm sure there are more desirable positions for you out there."  Allura knew she was being ridiculous, but this had been building up within her for a while.

"What are you talking about?"  He asked angrily.  "You are not a bothersome job to me!  You are my friend, I care about you. I...you mean a lot to me and if anything were to happen to you, especially while I'm supposed to be protecting you, well, that would be the end of me!"

Allura looked at him, her mouth open.  "Keith…"  
  


"Dammit Allura, this is hard for all of us.  I know you want your freedom and I want you to have it, but as long as there is a threat I will do everything in my power to protect you."

At a loss for words, Allura threw her arms around his neck and her lips pressed to his.  His arms moved on their own as they wrapped around her waist and pulled her tightly to him, pressing their bodies as close together as they could get.  

After a moment, Keith raised his head, "We can't do this."

"Why not?"  She whispered.

"It's not right, Allura, we can't."

"I don't understand."

Keith dropped his arms and paced in front of her, "Because we can never be.  You're a Princess, the last in your linage.  I am a pilot, a commoner."

"I don't care, Keith."

"You might not, but Koran does, and Nanny and your people…"

"But this is my life.  What about what I want?"

He ran a shaky hand through his hair.  "Allura, I know you don't understand…"

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child."

"I'm not.  I just need you to understand that this is for your own good."

She bit her lip, tears threatening her eyes, "You obviously don't know what's for my own good."  She whirled on her heel and stormed down the hall.

"Allura!"  Keith called.  "Wait, please!"

He was answered by her scream.  Grabbing his communicator in one hand and his blaster in the other, he ran down the hall.  Somewhere in the back of his mind, Keith heard the dining room door open and the sound of the guys' boots running behind him.

Allura was struggling against Lotor's grip.  He had one hand over her mouth and the other was forcing her arms behind her.  Haggar waved a hand in front of her and Allura went limp in his arms.

"Did you harm her?"  Lotor hissed.

"No, I just stopped her struggling."

"Stop!"  Keith shouted, aiming his weapon at them.  "Let her go!"

With a flash, Lotor, Haggar, and Allura all disappeared.  The castle alarms sounded and Keith's communicator went off.

"What happened?"  Lance asked, rounded the corner with the others.

"Allura's gone.  To Castle Control, everyone now!"


	13. A Hard Battle

"Everyone to your Lions," Keith shouted as they raced into Castle Control.  "We're going to assume they're heading to Doom."  
  


"Captain," Koran called out.

"Yeah, Lotor has the Princess, I know," Keith said hurriedly.

"Wait! What?  How did Lotor get the Princess?"

Keith stopped and turned to the older man, "If you didn't know Lotor was here, why did you sound the alarms?"

"We have an incoming message from Doom," Koran pointed to the main console.

Keith stepped up to the monitor, "This is Planet Arus, what do you want?"

The image was garbled and the sound static, but the voice was unmistakable.  "Keit!"

"Sven," Keith gripped the edges of the monitor and leaned closer.  "Sven?  Is that you?"

"_Ja_, Keit, it's me.  Can you hear me?"

"Where are you?  What's going on?"  
  


"Dere isn't much time to explain.  I vas captured by Doom and I finally escaped."

"You're still on Doom?"

"_Ja_!"

"We're coming for you!"

"But Keit…"

"We're on our way, Sven, where can we find you?"

Koran stopped him, "Are you sure it's him?  This could be a trick Lotor and Haggar are pulling."

Keith nodded, he was right.  Where had Sven been the last sixteen months?  Now he was suddenly contacting them.  As much as Keith wanted it to be true, he needed to know for sure.

Keith turned back to the monitor.  "Sven, what is your Garrison ID number?"

"Huh?  Um, 384…9574J…K58."

"Your brother's name?"

Even through the static filled screen, it was obvious when Sven's face darkened.  "Erik Davin Johansson, dead eight years."

"How did we meet?"

"Come on, Keit, dis is silly."

"How do we know you aren't Lotor in disguise?"

Sven sighed, "Alright.  Our first year in de Academy, you tried to break up a fight between Lance and I, but de Colonel saw de three of us and tought ve vere all fighting.  Ve had to clean all de bathrooms vith our toothbrushes."

"Where are you Sven?"  Keith asked.

"Ve just broke out of de Pit of Skulls.  Ve're in de voods right now, I stole a gun and communicator from a guard.  Ve'll vatch for you guys.  Dere is a clearing about a mile south vest of de castle, ve'll vait for you dere."

"_We_?"  Keith asked.

"I have another slave vith me."

Keith nodded, "We're on our way.  Sven?"

"_Ja_?"

"Lotor has Allura."

"Vhat?  Now?"

"Yeah, we're heading to Doom now."

"I'll see if I can find anyting."

"But lay low, man, we're coming to get you, don't take any chances."

"Alright, Keit see you…"  He was cut off as their communication was severed.

"Come on guys," Keith turned to his team.  "It looks like we have two people to rescue."

"Three," Pidge corrected.

"Yeah. Sven said he had a slave with him."  Hunk said.

Keith nodded, "Let's head out, we'll discuss this on the way."

As soon as the Lions were in the air, Keith started to formulate a plan.  "Alright, Pidge, call up the interactive map of Doom on your navigation computer and see if you can find the clearing that Sven was talking about.  We're going to be trying out the new cloaking device you installed, Hunk, and see if we can land undetected.  We'll try to land in or as close to this clearing as we can.  We want our entrance to be as quiet as possible, we'll get Sven and whoever is with him.  I'm thinking Hunk, you and Pidge had better take Sven and his friend straight back to Arus so they can see Dr. Gorma.  Lance, you and I are going into the castle to get the Princess."

"Sounds good," Lance called back.

"How long do we wait before we come back for you?"  Hunk asked.

"Six hours," Keith told him.

"I found it, Keith," Pidge said excitedly.  "I'm sending the coordinates to all of your navigation computers."

"Good job, Pidge, thanks."  
  


The rest of the trip was spent in quiet concentration.  The four men mentally prepared themselves for the battle they were about to enter and the reunion with their friend who they had all thought was dead.

"Pull back men, we're going to start a slow, easy descent.  Quiet."  Keith muttered.

It was a smooth, easy landing.  All four Lions rested in a battle stance, ready to take off at a moments notice, while the four pilots exited.  They spread out and crept around the clearing, looking for any sign of Sven.

"Psst…Keit."

Keith whirled around and came face to face with the haggard, drawn face of his friend.

"Sven," he dropped his weapon and pulled him into a tight hug.  Keith was shocked at how thin he was, his skin was stretched tightly over his bones, his hair was stringy, and a thick beard had covered his face.  "How are you?"

"I've been better," Sven smiled weakly.

"Come on, we're going to get you off this planet, get you to see Dr. Gorma, then we'll talk."

"But de Princess…"  
  


"Lance and I'll get her."

"Keit," Sven grabbed his arm.  "I vant you to meet somevone."  He motioned to someone hiding behind a tree.  "Dis is Romelle.  Lotor threw her into de Pit.  She's coming vith us."

Keith's eyes widened as the young woman stepped forward.  Beneath the tired, frightened appearance, torn clothes, and mussed hair, beyond the emaciated look was a beautiful young woman who looked remarkably like Allura.  "Romelle."

She nodded shyly and stood intimately close to Sven.

"Come on," Keith nodded his head toward the Lions.  "Let's get you guys out of here."  He pulled out his communicator and told the others he had found them.

"Sven," Lance ran over and threw his arms around his old friend.  "God, it's great to see you again."

"Reunions later, let's get them out of here," Keith said.

Romelle was hesitant to leave Sven's side.  He whispered to her, telling her she could trust Hunk and he would see her again as soon as they landed on Arus.  Hunk was leading her over to Yellow when the first shot was fired.  She ran full force back to Sven.  Hunk and Pidge surrounded them, weapons drawn, trying to find where the shots had come from.  

Keith and Lance scanned the trees, looking for whoever had fired.  Keith walked backwards toward the others and whispered, "We may have to come back for the Princess.  Run for the Lions."

As soon as they broke apart, Doom soldiers swarmed the clearing.  Before they had a chance to get away, the four pilots were stripped of their weapons and had their hands behind their backs.  They were surrounded and forced through the woods, toward the castle.

"Where's Sven?"  Lance whispered to Keith through unmoving lips.

Keith looked over his shoulder and was rewarded with a punch in the side of the head.

"Eyes forward," the guard snarled.

Sven got away, Keith thought.  As long as he was out there, there was hope.

They were shoved, tripped and hit as the guards herded them into the castle.  

"Take them down to the dungeons," the head guard instructed.

"Hey," Lance wrenched his arm from the guard's grip.  "Hands off the threads."

The guard in question responded by shoving Lance face first onto the stone ground.

"Just throw them in there."

A door was opened and they were all pushed in.

"Yeah!  Let's see you do that when my hands aren't tied behind my back!"  Lance shouted.

"Shut up, Lance," Keith hissed.

The door shut and the lock clicked.  The sound of the guards' boots on the stone floor faded away as they left.

"Great, what now?"  Lance kicked the wall and swore as his toe throbbed.

"I think I can get these off," Pidge grunted, twisting his hands in the handcuffs.

"We know Sven and Romelle got away," Keith said.  "There's hope in that."

"Did anyone else notice that Romelle looked like Allura?"  Hunk whispered.

"Yeah," Lance agreed.

"Maybe it's a regional thing with this galaxy, I've seen a lot of blonde women," Keith suggested.

Hunk shrugged, "Maybe."

"Psst!"

Keith whipped his head around, "Quiet."  
  


"Pssssst!"

"Do you hear that?"  He asked.

"Yeah."  Lance stepped closer to the door, looking out the small barred window.

Keith joined him and they held their breath, listening.

"Psst…Lance?  Keith?"

"Allura?"  Keith's voice rose excitedly.

"Yeah, it's me."

"Where are you?"

He heard the click of her shoes on the floor and saw a flash of blonde hair as she jumped up and tried to see through the window of the door across the hall.  "I'm over here, in the room across from you."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine.  I feel kinda weird, Haggar did something to quiet me."

Keith rested his head against the cool metal door and took in deep cleansing breaths.  "We'll get you out of here, I promise."

"I know," she whispered.

"I got it!"  Pidge held his handcuffs out in front of him.

"Way to go, Pidge, can you help us?"  Keith backed over to him.

Pulling a pocketknife from his belt, Pidge picked the locks and freed his teammates.

"We have to find a way out," Keith ran his hands over the door, but it was sealed shut with the lock on the outside.  Lance and Hunk felt along the walls, but they were smooth.

"Keith."  He heard Allura whimper and raced to the door.

"What is it?"

"Lotor's coming," she whispered.

He pressed himself up against the door and tried to see down the hall.  Sure enough, Lotor and three guards walked purposefully down the hall.

"Quick," he whispered to his men.  

Keith went and sat at the wall opposite the door and hid his hands behind him, the others followed his example. 

Lotor looked in through the bars and saw the four men sitting on the floor and laughed.  "I can't believe you walked right into our hands and delivered the Lions to us!  This is too good!"  He was about to open the door when he saw something glittering on the floor, a smirk crossing his lips.

Keith followed his gaze and groaned, someone had left a pair of handcuffs on the floor, he knew they weren't restrained any more.

Lotor disappeared and they heard him unlock and open a door.  Keith and Lance were on their feet and at the door, Hunk and Pidge at their heels.  

"Let me go," Allura shouted, struggling in his grasp.

  
"Don't make me get Haggar, Princess, you had a difficult time waking earlier and it's even harder the second time around."

"Lotor, let her go," Keith warned.

The Doom Prince laughed, "I don't think you're in any position to make any orders, Captain, I hold all the cards."  He turned and grabbed Allura's chin, forcing her to face him. 

Keith watched in disgust as Lotor pressed his lips to Allura's.  She twisted in his grasp and groaned.  Lotor pulled back and grinned at her, but was rewarded with Allura spitting in his face.  He brought his hand up and wiped his cheek before striking out and slapping Allura hard enough to send her sprawling across the floor.

"I will **kill** you!"  Keith yelled.

Lotor glanced up at him before bending down and yanking Allura up by the arm, her cheek was red and she was going to have a nasty bruise.  He thrust her at one of the guards who held her arms behind her.  Lotor stroked one hand over her hair, enjoying the feel of her trembling.  His other hand ran down her arm and then up over her shoulder.  He traced his finger down over her breast.  Allura twisted her head away, bile rising in her throat.  She locked eyes with Keith and he watched as a tear slid from her eye.

"Lotor, we will get out of here," Lance said.  "We will find you and we will kill you in the slowest, most painful way possible."

Lotor grabbed her hips in his hands and pulled her roughly against him.  Allura gasped as the guard still held her hands and her shoulder was wrenched behind her.  

Before it could go any further, an explosion rocked the castle.  The guard instinctively dropped Allura's wrists and grabbed his weapon.  Allura swiped and clawed at Lotor, scratching his face and drawing blood.  Lotor roared in anger and struck her again.  Her head hit the floor and this time she didn't get up.

Another explosion shook the building.

"Take her to the other dungeon," Lotor ordered, holding a handkerchief to his cheek.  "Secure her."  He turned on his heel and ran down the hall.

"Allura!"  Keith called, shaking the bars on the window but they wouldn't give.

"She'll be fine, man," Hunk said weakly.

"I bet that's Sven coming to get us," Pidge pointed out.

"How?  He didn't have a key for any of the Lions."  Keith paced the room, feeling helpless and shaking with rage.  

Hunk grabbed the bars and pulled as hard as he could, but they didn't budge.

The castle shook again, the sound of gunfire and guards running and shouting filled the caste.

Hunk threw his shoulder into the door, it didn't even move.

Keith ran to the door, pounding on it.  "We have to get out of here!"  He cried desperately. 

"Keith, calm down," Lance took him by the shoulders.  "We'll get out of here, we'll get her.  Calm down, keep your head."

He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  Lance was right, he couldn't lose control, there was too much riding on this.

"Hunk?"

The big man peered out the window and grinned, "Romelle!"

"Shh," she put her fingers to her lips.  "I'm going to try and shoot the lock."

"Stand back," Hunk told everyone.  "The Calvary has arrived."

It took four shots before she was able to disarm the lock.  Hunk grabbed the bars and swung the door inward.

  
Lance grabbed Romelle by the shoulder, "What's going on?  Where's Sven?"

"He's in the big Lion.  He told me to come in through the passage and find you guys, here."  She had a satchel over her shoulder and pulled out their weapons, handing the one she had used to Hunk.

"You are my hero," Lance placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Let's get Allura and get out of here," Keith said, checking to make sure his weapon was charged.

"Allura," Romelle whispered.

"Just stay close to us," Hunk told her.  "We'll get you out of here."

Lance and Keith took the left side of the hall, glancing in every window, while Hunk and Pidge stayed to the right.

"She's not here," Keith said, desperately.

"There are other dungeons," Romelle told him.  "Some down there," she pointed down a flight of stairs.  "And more over there," she pointed down another hallway.

"You guys go down the stairs, we'll take the hall," Keith instructed.  "If you find her, contact us right away."

Hunk and Pidge nodded, keeping their backs against the wall, they disappeared down the stairs.

"Halt!"

Lance fired and cut down the Doom guard before he could even reach his weapon.

"Come on," Keith whispered checking door after door.  He froze when he heard blaster shots, six of them.  There was a scream and then another shot.  He looked up at Lance, they both froze, blasters in hand.

The beeping of his communicator caused Keith to jump as he pulled it off his belt, "Whitaker."

"We got her, Cap," Pidge said.  "Let's get out of here, there are guards everywhere."

Keith snapped it closed and reattached it to his belt, running down the hall.  He saw Pidge running up the stairs, clutching Romelle's hand in his.  Hunk was right behind him, carrying a limp Allura in his arms.  Keith stopped in his tracks, his breath caught in his throat. 

Lance ran into him, "Keith, keep moving."

"Hunk…"

"She's breathing, Keith, but she's pretty beat up."

"Give her to me."

"I got her, Cap."

"Give her to me," Keith held his arms out.

Hunk carefully transferred the unconscious Princess into his Captain's arms.

"Come on," Romelle whispered.  "Follow me, Sven said to meet him by the Lions."  
  


Keith cradled Allura in his arms, taking comfort in the soft breathing he felt against his neck.  A large purple bruise had formed on her cheek and her left eye was swollen nearly shut.  "It'll be alright," he whispered when she moaned and shivered.

"This way," Romelle led them down the pathway Fforden had shown them when they had come to rescue Keith.

Outside, chunks of rock had fallen from the castle and guards lay on the ground.  They kept to the side of the castle and hurried toward the tree line.

"Lance, contact Sven," Keith said, feeling Allura shift in his arms.  "Let him know we're out and heading toward the Lions."

"Will do," Lance pulled out his communicator and dialed up Black.

"Keith, we have a mile to go, let me carry her some of the way," Hunk whispered.

"No, I'm fine," he tightened his grip on her.

"Sven will meet us there," Lance snapped the communicator shut.

It took them about ten minutes to reach the Lions.  Hunk ended up carrying Romelle half the way, she was completely worn out.

Sven landed Black and jumped from the cockpit, running straight to Hunk, "Vhat happened?"

"She's tired Sven," Hunk whispered.  "She fell asleep."

Sven carefully pushed the matted blonde hair from her face and caressed her cheek.  Romelle's bright blue eyes fluttered open and focused on Sven.

"Ve're getting out of here, Beautiful," he whispered gently.

"Time to go home," she whispered back.

"_Ja_, let's go home."

_{{  A heavy silence filled the room.  Keith had wrapped both arms around Allura, remembering how limp she had felt in his arms and how terrified he had been.  Sven had his face buried in Romelle's hair, his heart racing._

_"We, uh, we don't have to finish this story if you don't want to," Becca whispered._

_Pidge smiled and kissed the top of her head, "It was a hard battle."_

_"How did you do it, Sven?"  Darcy whispered._

_"I didn't have a choice," he told her._

_"But the Lion, how did you fly Black without a key?  How did you destroy the castle?"_

_"You're always full of questions," Lance teased._

_"If you don't ask questions you don't learn," she dug her fingers into his ribs._

_Lance squirmed and grabbed her wrists, "You never learn."  He leaned closer, holding both her hands in his one and grabbing her chin with the other._

_"If I fill you in, will you two break it up?"  Sven asked._

_"Maybe," Darcy giggled as Lance's breath tickled her neck._

_"Please, tell them," Hunk pleaded.  "I don't want to have to hose them off."_

_"Alright, vell, I vasn't totally sure vhat vas happening vhile it vas happening.  But vonce the adrenaline vore off and I sat down to talk to de guys, it all just came out…   }}_


	14. A Story Within A Story

Hi All!

Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews!  

RedLion2 ~ Your helpful and thoughtful reviews help inspire me to write my stories, thank you.

Dee ~ Thanks for your continuing support

Anony, Black Knight 03 ~ Thanks for your reviews, I really appreciate them!  
  


This chapter is the result of being up all night.  For some reason I just couldn't sleep, as I post this it's after 4:30 in the morning, so please excuse any spelling errors I might miss :-)  I just hate sitting on a chapter after I write it, I can't wait to post.

Enjoy,

Failte

**************************************************

Keith walked into the waiting room and was greeted by the sight of his three teammates lounging in various chairs.  All four of them had escaped with little more than some scrapes and bruises, Lance getting the worst of it, brought on by his smart mouth.  Keith had waved off any medical attention and gone straight to Castle Control, filling Koran in on what had happened and jotted down a few notes so he could type up his report later.

"Any news?"  He asked.

Lance looked up at him, "Nurse Helene is in with Allura now, Dr. Gorma said she'll be fine.  She's beat up, some bruises and scrapes and her shoulder was wrenched and she has a slight concussion, but she'll be fine."

Keith let out a breath, "Good.  What about Sven and Romelle?"

"Dr. Gorma is in with Romelle now.  She and Sven are malnourished, weak, and exhausted.  They both have some kind of upper respiratory infection caused by the air in the Pit.  Sven's back is pretty messed up, after Haggar's attack he never really got the chance to have it heal properly.  But it's Romelle Dr. Gorma's most worried about."

"What is it?"

 "She's a lot weaker.  She passed out on the way back and has yet to regain consciousness, Dr. Gorma thinks they've been running entirely on adrenaline and now that they're safe, they're both going to collapse.  They need time to catch up on rest and build up their strength."  Lance rubbed his eyes and sighed tiredly.

The door slid open and Dr. Gorma walked out.  They could see Sven sitting in a chair beside the bed, holding Romelle's hand and watching her sleep.  He had been cleaned up and shaved, his face was gaunt and dark shadows circled his eyes.

"How are they?"  Keith asked the doctor.

"They need some rest and some nourishment.  They both have a long road to recovery ahead of them."

"What do you mean?"

"Princess Romelle is quite weak and…"

"Did you say _Princess_ Romelle?"  Lance interrupted.

"Yes, uh, the young woman in there is Her Royal Highness Princess Romelle of the Planet Pollux," Dr. Gorma explained.  "And she is Princess Allura's cousin."

The men looked up at him in shocked silence.

Dr. Gorma chuckled, "I take it from your reaction you didn't know that.  King Alfor and Romelle's father grew apart years ago, but the girls used to play together.  Their mothers had been close friends, but Romelle's mother died shortly after giving birth to her son Bandor and after her death, the two families lost contact."

"Wow," Hunk whispered.

"Yes, I don't know how she ended up on Doom or in the Pit of Skulls, I'm sure she will have an interesting story to tell when she is up to it.  For now I want her and Lieutenant Johansson to rest."  Dr. Gorma turned to Keith, "Can I speak with you alone, please, Captain?"

"Of course," Keith followed him into the empty hallway.  "What is it, Doctor?"

"I want to examine Lt. Johansson some more, but at the moment he won't leave the Princess' side."

"What is it?"  Keith repeated.

"He was badly injured, Captain, and he never got a chance to fully heal before Planet Ebb was attacked by Doom.  He has permanent damage, a lot of scar tissue and muscle damage."

"What are you saying, Dr. Gorma."

"I really don't think he is going to pass the Garrison physical."

Keith waited a moment, letting his words sink in, before speaking.  "So, uh, so he won't be able to fly?"

"I don't think the Garrison will take him back at all."

Keith nodded slowly.

"I would like to examine him further, but I think this is the end of his military career," Dr. Gorma said carefully.  "I just thought you should know."

"Thank you, Doctor."  Keith ran a hand through his hair.  "What about Princess Allura?"

"She'll be fine.  The Princess is a little banged up and sore, but she'll be up and around in no time."

"Can I see her?"

"When Nurse Helene is done you may, just don't push her to hard, she's needs her rest."

Keith shook his hand, "Thank you, Dr. Gorma, for everything."

They reentered the waiting room to the expectant looks of his teammates.  Keith shook his head, he didn't want them to know before Sven himself knew.  

"Why don't you guys go shower and hit the sack," Keith suggested.

"Can we see Allura?"  Lance asked.

"I don't want her worn out any more than she already is," Dr. Gorma said.  "Give her tonight and you can all see her in the morning."

Romelle's door slid open and Sven stumbled out, rubbing his eyes.

"Sven," Keith raced to his side and helped him to a seat.  "How're you feeling?"

"I'm very tired," he admitted.

"Why don't you rest?  Why are you fighting this?"

"I need to contact Pollux, Romelle's home planet, let dem know she's safe."

"We'll do that in the morning, Sven."

He nodded, resting his head back and closing his eyes.

"So, Sven," Lance said, smiling.  "You and Romelle, huh?"

Sven smiled but kept his eyes closed, "_Ja.  She's de most amazing voman I've ever known.  And hot."_

Hunk chuckled, "You've got it bad."

Sven opened his eyes and looked at his friends, "Ve're in love."

"Good for you," Keith grinned at him.

"You guys must have an awesome story to tell," Pidge said.

"Come on," Keith helped his friend to his feet.  "You're to rest.  We'll talk tomorrow when you're up to it.  You and Romelle are going to stay here as long as it takes for you both to get well and to get some meat on your bones.  We'll catch up tomorrow."

Sven looked at his friends with moist eyes, "I can't tell you guys how much dis means to me to be back."

Lance stood and hugged him, "We're glad you're back, man."

Keith helped Sven into the room next to Romelle's.  He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.  Keith shut off the light and walked from the room feeling happier, more lighthearted.  Sven was back, beaten and worn, but alive.

"Captain," Nurse Helene stood in the waiting room.  "You may see the Princess, but only for a short time and don't wear her out."

"Hey," Lance smirked.  "How come Keith gets to see her but we have to wait until the morning?"

"Because I'm the Captain, that's why," Keith told him.  "Go get some sleep guys, it's been a long day and we've got a lot of catching up to do tomorrow."

The room was dim, a small lamp on the bedside table was the only light.  It was quiet, save for Allura's slow breathing.  Keith entered cautiously, afraid that she was asleep and he didn't want to disturb her.

"Keith?"  She whispered so low that he wasn't sure if he had heard it.  "Keith, come in."

"How are you?"  He asked, coming to stand beside her bed.

"Sore."  She was pale beneath her bruises and her hand was wrapped in gauze.

"What happened to your hand?"

"I scrapped it pretty bad when Lotor pushed me down."

"I am so sorry, Allura."

"It wasn't your fault, Keith, you guys saved me and Sven is back.  I can't wait until I feel up to walking around and hearing what happened to him."

"Don't push yourself," he whispered.  "There will be plenty of time for all that.  Did you hear who was with Sven?"

She shook her head, "Nurse Helene said it was some girl."

"It's Princess Romelle of Pollux."

Allura's eyes widened and her mouth fell open.  "Romelle's here?  Can I see her?  How is she?"

"Yes, she's here, but she's in bad shape.  No you can't see her because you both need your rest."

"Will she be okay?"

Keith pulled a chair over and filled her in on Sven and Romelle's conditions.  

Allura sighed deeply, "We'll contact Pollux in the morning, let them know she's here and safe."

Keith nodded.

"Did, uh, did we figure out how Lotor and Haggar got into the castle?"

"No, but Koran and I spoke about it and he agreed with you.  He is going to contact Kadmus and have him come in, see if he can help."

"Good," she yawned.

Keith stood, "I'll go, let you get some sleep."

"You don't have to go," Allura whispered shyly.

He smiled and patted her hand, "You need rest.  We'll have guards posted around the clock, no unauthorized persons will get in here."

"I'd feel better if you stayed."

Keith felt a flush creep into his face, thankful for the low light.  "I'll stay until you fall asleep."

"Thank you."

It didn't take long.  Her eyes closed and her breathing evened out, her body totally relaxed and gave into her exhaustion.  Keith watched her sleep.  Even with the purple bruises and swollen eye, she was so beautiful.  He reached out and gently brushed her hair off her forehead, caressing her cheek.  She sighed and turned her face toward his hand.

The thought of Lotor touching her made him physically ill and if he ever crossed paths with the Prince of Doom again, it wouldn't be pretty.  She deserved only kindness and generosity, beauty and love.  He would give anything to be in the position to give her that and more.

Leaning down, Keith placed a tender kiss on her forehead before slipping from the room.

********************************************************

Keith called off practice the next morning.  So much had happened, they deserved the time to sleep in, although he had snatched only three hours of sleep himself.  The sun was barely breaching the horizon when he finally rose and went to the kitchen for coffee.  

"Captain," Nanny greeted him.

"Good morning, Nanny."  He was thrilled to see she had already started brewing the coffee.

"Dr. Gorma said the Princess will be alright with rest," she commented.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Since Lt. Johansson is back, will he take over flying again so the Princess can stop?"

"No, Nanny."

"Why not?"

"I'm not at liberty to discuss it right now."

"Why?"  She huffed, her hands on her hips.  "He's back, he can fly.  I have the right to know what is going on in this castle."  
  


"With all due respect, Nanny, when it comes to my men and the Force, you don't."

"When it comes to the Princess I do!"

Keith took his cup of coffee in hand, "I'm going to the hospital and see if there's any news."  He knew there was no use trying to reason with Nanny, she would never understand.  This wasn't entirely his choice, he would love to release Allura of her duty, keep her safe in the castle.  But she was needed and she loved flying.  She had more right to fly a Lion than any of them.

"Good morning.  Any news?"  He asked the nurse on duty.

She smiled up at him, "Lt. Johansson woke a little while ago, he's in Prince Romelle's room."

"And Princess Allura?"

"She's still asleep sir."

He nodded, "I'm going to check in with Castle Control and then I'll be back."

When Keith returned twenty minutes later, Dr. Gorma was leaving Sven's room.  Before he could inquire about his friend's health, Sven appeared in the door way.  

"Keit."

"Sven, how are you?"

He shrugged, covering his mouth as a chest rattling coughing fit shook him.

"Come on," Keith walked into the room and shut the door behind him.  "Want to talk about it?"

"Dr. Gorma tinks I vill be honorably discharged from de Garrison.  My vounds vere too severe."

"I'm sorry, Sven."

"Vhat am I going to do, Keit?  I'm a soldier vithout a military."

"You can't worry about it now, you need to get well."

"I can't help but vorry about it.  Vhat kind of future vill ve have if I can't support us?"

Keith raised his eyebrows, surprised.  "It's that serious?"

"_Ja_, it is."

"Well," Keith rubbed the back of his neck.  "We'll come up with something.  Even if you can't fight, you are still an amazing soldier, you can still help by planning battles.  It will all work out."

"Tank you, Keit, but I can't keep living off of Allura's kindness."

"Alright, Sven, you have a lot to offer and you won't have to worry about finding a job.  However, you do need to rest and get better.  Give yourself some time."

He nodded and sat on the edge of the bed, "I know you're right, it's just, I don't know, I feel so useless, so helpless."

"You're neither of those, Sven."

A hesitant knock on the door stopped their conversation.  Keith crossed and opened it to find Allura.

"What are you doing out of bed?"  He demanded.

"Visiting," she swept past him and crossed to Sven.  "Oh, Sven, it is so good to see you again!  How are you?  What happened?"

Sven smiled weakly and stood to accept her hug, "It's great to be back, Allura."

"So," she sat on the edge of the bed.  "You've brought Romelle with you?"

His smile grew, "_Ja."_

"Where did you meet, what happened?"

"Vell, she was sent to de Pit by Lotor because of her disobedience.  She found me dere and convinced me to help her escape and den to contact Arus."

"How is she?  I haven't seen her in years.  Oh, I am so glad you're back and that you brought her with you."

Keith crossed his arms and leaned against the wall, "It seems that Sven and your cousin have become rather close."

Allura looked from Keith to Sven and then back again, "What do you mean?"

Sven chuckled.

"Well, let's just say that our old ladykiller here has finally found the woman to tame him."

Allura's eyes widened and she looked back at Sven, "Really?"

He nodded, "Ve grew very close in our time together.  She's amazing."

"I'm so happy for you," Allura smiled and patted his hand.  "How is she?  When can I see her?  I heard you guys talking in here, that's why I knocked, but I didn't want to wake her."

"She's still sleeping.  She needs rest and time."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Sven shook his head, "Later.  It vas all just so much and everyone vants to know vhat happened, so I vould rather tell everyone at vonce."

"I understand," Allura stood.

"How are you feeling?"  Keith asked her.

"I have a nasty headache, but otherwise I'm fine.  I'm going to get dressed."

He grabbed her arm as she walked past, "Don't push yourself too hard."

"I won't, don't worry."

Sven raised an eyebrow and watched the Princess leave.  "So, you and de Princess?"

"What?  No."

"Uh huh."

"Get dressed, then come to the kitchen and get something to eat."

********************************************************************

After contacting Pollux and letting her brother, Bandor, know she was alive and well, Romelle and Allura had spent a few hours catching up.  It was like the years apart melted away, they giggled and chatted like old friends.  After lunch, everyone congregated in the rec room.  Koran was watching over Castle Control, giving the Force time to talk.  

Romelle was cocooned in a thick afghan and curled up beside Sven on the love seat.  When she was awake, Romelle hated to be alone and she often sought out Sven, really only feeling comfortable when she was with him.  He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her tight.  After everything they had been through together, it was hard for them to be separated for long.

Lance, Allura, and Pidge sat on the couch while Hunk and Keith took over the chairs.  They were all eager to hear what happened, but not sure how to broach the subject.

"Alright, I guess I'll be the one," Lance sighed dramatically.  "What happened?  How did you survive so long in the Pit of Skulls, Sven?  How did Romelle end up in there?  How did you contact us?  How did you fly Black?"

"Real subtle, Lance," Keith muttered.

"Hey, we all want to know, I'm just the only one with the ba-uh-guts to ask."

"No, you're the only one tactless enough to come out with all these questions."

"Sven knows I'm not trying to be heartless or anything.  We all want to know because we've missed him."

Sven watched his friends argue back and forth and felt the warmth of being home again.  "It's alright Keit, I know you all vant to know.  It's really not an exciting story or anyting, Lance.  I vas on Planet Ebb recovering from my vounds vhen Doom attacked, apparently dey needed doctors and Ebb vas known for having de best.  Most of de patients vere killed or just left to die, anyone strong enough vas taken as a slave.  One of de soldiers recognized me as a Voltron pilot and tought Zarkon vould like to have me, so I vas spared and sent to de Castle.  However, it soon became evident dat I vas still too injured to be of any good to dem.  So I vas thrown in de Pit."  He stopped and cleared his throat.  It was the first time he had told his story aloud and was finding it more difficult than he thought.  Romelle squeezed his hand and he continued.

"I did vhat I had to to survive.  I had to eat bugs and rats, I slept on stone, I vas surviving vithout really knowing vhy.  Den, von day about two months ago, a beautiful young voman discovered me in de Pit and I knew vhy I vas surviving."

Romelle smiled up at him, "I had no idea what I was going to do or how I was ever going to get out.  I honestly thought I was going to die down there.  But we did it.  Sven knew his way around the Pit quite well and we found a way out one night."

"Why were you on Doom, Romelle?"  Pidge asked.

She blushed slightly and picked at a loose piece of yarn in the afghan, unable to meet anyone's eyes.  "My father wanted to create an alliance with Doom.  As part of the agreement, I, and my lady-in-waiting, were given to Zarkon as a sort of payment.  I was passed on to Lotor and I don't know what happened to Paget, my lady-in-waiting."  She stopped and cleared her throat, swallowing around the lump.  "My oldest brother Avoc joined Doom and was turned into a Robeast."

"When was that?"  Keith asked tenderly.

"About a year ago."

The Force knew of the Robeast she was talking about, it had been a fierce fight with a strong human-like creature.  

"It wasn't your fault," she told them.  "He had turned evil and he brought his death upon himself.  I don't know what happened to my father, but I am sure he met a similar fate.  My younger brother, Bandor, is now ruling Pollux, or what's left of it."

"I vas able to overtake a guard in de voods and get his communicator and veapon, dat's vhen I contacted you," Sven said.

"And then we came to Doom," Hunk concluded.  "But what about Black?"

"I don't really know," Sven admitted.  "As soon as you vere all out of sight, Black lowered her head and de hatch opened.  I tink she knew you were in trouble.  Ve found veapons in your Lions and Romelle vent to find you.  I got into de Lion and she took over, all I had to do was fire de guns."

"They're amazing machines," Allura yawned.  "They have a connection with their pilots that is deep but hard to explain."

"Vell, I am just so glad to be off dat planet and back home."

"What are your plans now?"  Lance asked.

"Just to get better and readjust to life on de outside," Sven told him.  "Dr. Gorma vants us to take things easy for a while.  I have to ease my vay back into a normal diet and my back is still pretty messed up."

"Are you going to take over flying Blue again?"  Pidge asked.

Sven and Keith exchanged looks.  With a pained expression, Sven sighed and shook his head, "I can't.  Dr. Gorma said I von't pass the Garrison physical.  I'm not physically able to fight anymore."

"Oh, Sven," Allura sighed.  "I am so sorry."

"What are you going to do?"  Hunk inquired.

Sven shrugged.

"You are both more than welcome to stay as long as you want," Allura told them.

"He's going to rest and get well," Keith spoke up.

"This is great, it'll be just like old times," Pidge grinned.

The guys all talked excitedly, laughing and planning.  Reminiscing about old times and the Academy.  Allura was exhausted, she couldn't understand why, she had slept so much the night before.  Her head felt heavy and was beginning to throb.  She slid sideways and dozed off, her head on Lance's shoulder.

Keith tried to squelch the feelings of jealousy as he watched her sleep.  They were just friends, it wasn't Lance she had kissed.  Or was it?  The two of them spent a lot of time together.  No, Allura wasn't they type of girl who would throw her kisses around.  But then she didn't have a lot of experience with men, something she herself had admitted.  She was asleep now, leaning against Lance.

Hunk reached over and tapped Keith's arm, "You okay, Cap?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," he sat up straighter.

Lance whispered something to Pidge over Allura's head.  The Green Pilot smiled and nodded.  Very slowly, so as to not disturb the snoozing Princess, Pidge stood and crossed over to Keith.

"Lance wants to talk to you," Pidge whispered.

Keith looked over at his friend and raised his eyebrows questioningly. 

Lance waved him over with his hand.

Rolling his eyes, Keith walked over to the sofa, "What is it?"

Lance pointed to the seat Pidge had just vacated, "Sit down."

"Why?'

  
"Don't be so difficult, Keith, sit down," Lance whispered.

Curious and more than a little annoyed, Keith settled onto the couch.

As gently as possible, Lance pushed Allura over so she was leaning against Keith.  Making a big show of it, Lance stood and stretched, "Thanks man, I've had to go to the bathroom for about five minutes now."

If looks could kill, Lance would have been sprawled on the ground lifeless.  Keith felt big and awkward with Allura asleep on his shoulder, not to mention embarrassed as his friends all grinned at him.  To make matters worse, Allura sighed in her sleep, tickling his neck with her breath as she cuddled closer, wrapping her arm around his stomach.

"How long have you and Allura been together?"  Romelle asked.

Lance snorted.

"I thought you had to use the bathroom, Lieutenant," Keith snarled.  "We're just friends, Romelle."

The young woman blushed at her own boldness, "Oh, I'm sorry, I just thought, well, what she had said and how you both seemed so close."

Lance shoved his hands in his pocket and grinned at Romelle, "And what did she say?"

"What, oh, uh nothing, I misunderstood."  Romelle could not divulge what Allura had told her earlier when she had admitted to being confused by the Captain.

"Come on," Sven stood and held a hand out to Romelle.  "I tink ve both need to lay down.  Take a quick nap before dinner."

"Yeah," Pidge glanced at Keith and Allura.  "There's something I need to do."

"I'll help you, buddy," Hunk followed Pidge from the room and to the library.

Lance turned to Keith, the grin still plastered on his face, "Don't be an idiot, man, go for it."  With that he left, shutting and locking the door behind him.

And suddenly they were alone.  He looked down at her and sighed.  At the moment, he was furious with Lance.  How could he do this to him?  Lance knew they couldn't be together, but he somehow found ways to put them in uncomfortable situations.  

With a sigh, Keith started to pull out from under her, trying to ease her onto the couch without waking her.  It didn't work.  Allura's eyes fluttered open.  She blinked a few times and then jumped with a start, letting go of him when she realized where she was.  Groaning, she brought her hands to her throbbing head.

"Are you okay?"  He asked, worriedly.

  
"I sat up too fast," she murmured as her head throbbed with her heartbeat.  And being so close to Keith didn't exactly slow her heart rate.

"Here, lay down."  He gently lowered her down and crouched beside the couch.  "Do you want me to get you anything?"

"It's too early to take any more pain pills."

"Just lay as still as you can and calm down, it'll pass," He whispered, rubbing her arm.

"If I'm supposed to calm down, you'll have to stop touching me."

Keith pulled his hand back, startled at her bold admission.  "Allura."

"Don't Keith.  I feel horrible right now and I don't need you to add to it."

"Ouch."

She lowered her hands and looked at him with a pained expression, "Why Keith?  Why can't we?"

"Because we can't, it isn't proper," he replied, weakly.

"Sven and Romelle are doing it.  She's a Princess and he's a pilot."

"That's different."

  
"How?"

Keith sat back on the floor and brought his knees up, resting his arms on his knees, he lowered his head.  Why was she doing this?  Why was she making it so hard?  He looked up at her, "Romelle is not the ruling monarch of her planet."

"I don't understand, Keith.  What does that have to do with anything?"

"It's not right, Allura."

She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling, if it wasn't right, why did his rejection hurt so much?

"Allura…"

"I am so confused, Keith."

"So am I."

"I consider you one of my closest friends, Keith."

"I feel the same way."

"But it doesn't seem like enough.  I want more from our friendship."

"Allura," he lowered his head and fisted his hands in his hair.  "You don't understand!  I'm a commoner, we can never be anything but friends."

She sat up, tears of frustration burned in her eyes as she tried to rub away the pain in her head, "Do you really think that little of me?  Do you really think I'm that shallow?  I don't care if you aren't royalty."

"Oh, God, no, it's not that!"  Keith jumped to his feet and paced in front of her.  "Don't you know the law?"

"What law?"

"There's a law on the books, if you get involved with anyone who isn't royalty, you will lose your throne."

Allura watched as he paced the floor, punctuating what he was saying by waving his hands in the air.  "What?"

"You will lose your throne," he stopped and looked down at her.  "You would have to give up ruling Arus and there is no one to step in.  You would have to give up your planet and your people."

"No, that can't be, how do you know that?"

"Koran told me," he admitted dejectedly. 

Pain cut through her skull as a sob ripped from her chest.  She could not choose between the man she loved and her people, her planet.  Why couldn't she have this?  After all she had lost, after all the fights, the losses, why couldn't she have this one bit of happiness?  It all made sense now.  Why Nanny and Koran didn't approve of her spending so much time with Keith and the other guys for that matter.  Why they were pushing Princes on her.

"Please, Allura, don't cry, it will only make your head hurt more," Keith knelt in front of her, placing his hands on her knees.

His concern only made the tears fall harder.

He laid his hand on the back of her head, pulling her forward so that her forehead rested on his shoulder.  He whispered words of comfort while rubbing the back of her head.  

"This can't be real," she whispered.  

"I am so sorry."

She cupped his face in her hands, "Don't be.  There has got to be a way around this."

"I don't know how."

"We'll check the laws, there has to be."

He shook his head, "I think I should look into finding another position.  This isn't working."

A feeling of dread filled Allura.  Even if they couldn't be together the thought of being apart was too much to bear.  "No, you can't.  We need you."

"Allura…"

They were interrupted by Keith's communicator going off.  He groaned and unclipped it from his belt.  "Whitaker."

"Captain, I need to see you," Koran said hurriedly.

"What is it?"  Keith stood, a reassuring hand on Allura's shoulder.

"We just got word Zarkon was fatally wounded during the attack yesterday."


	15. Good News, But Not The Answers She Wante...

Hi all,

I just wanted to thank you again for your wonderful, thoughtful, and insightful reviews.  I've said this before, but as much as I am enjoying writing this, the fact that you are reading it and enjoying it makes all the time and effort I'm putting into this worthwhile.  Thank you!

You know how it goes, none of this is mine, except for the plot and any characters you don't recognize from the show or comics.

Enjoy,

Failte

*************************************

Keith stood slowly and looked down at Allura.  She met his gaze.

"We're not done talking about this," she whispered.  "We need you and it would be very irresponsible of you to just leave."

"I know." 

She held her hand up so he could help her to her feet.  As soon as she was standing, Allura dropped his hand and, ignoring her headache and tunnel vision, she gripped her skirt and stalked from the room. Keith followed her, dialing up the other Force members on his communicator.

"Guys, meet me in Castle Control, now.  Koran has word that Zarkon was injured."

"On my way."

"Aye, Captain."

"No problem, Keith."

Koran looked up as the door opened and the Princess entered, pale and bruised.  "Your Highness, how are you?  Should you be out of bed?"

"I want to know what's going on, Koran," Allura said, lowering herself into the chair by the console. 

"Lance, Hunk, and Pidge are on their way," Keith announced.

Koran nodded, tapping his fingers against the clipboard he held.

Keith stood at the console, avoiding Allura, watching the radar.

"I hear you have some good news for us," Lance declared, sweeping into the room, followed by Hunk and Pidge.

Koran shook his head and looked down at the papers he held, "We received word about ten minutes ago that Zarkon was mortally wounded and will most likely be dead by nightfall."

"What happened?"  Keith crossed his arms over his chest and leaned on the console.

"The castle sustained some serious damage and he was hit by fallen debris.  Zarkon has yet to regain consciousness and probably won't."

"What about Lotor?"  Pidge asked.

"As far as we know, he was uninjured."

Allura shifted in her chair, trying to ignore the pain splitting her skull, "What does this mean for Doom?"

"I'm sure Lotor is mad enough that he will want revenge," Keith muttered.

"But will he be as strong as his father had been?"  Koran pointed out.

"Does he still have the witch?"  Hunk asked.

"As far as we know."

Keith sighed, "We will probably have a few days while Lotor regroups.  He will need to concentrate on rebuilding his castle and getting his men together.  Any word on other casualties?"

Koran checked his papers, "A few soldiers, not a definite number."

"We can't let our guard down, but we have a few days.  Allura, I want you to rest.  The rest of you, we'll have practice in the morning as usual.  I'm going to find Sven and let him know."  Keith stopped by the chair and laid a gentle hand on Allura's shoulder, "Don't push yourself.  Relax, we need you in good shape."

She nodded slightly, too much head movement caused more pain.

"Lance, help her to the hospital," Keith instructed.

Lance nodded and offered his hands to Allura, "Come with me, Princess, I shall make sure you are delivered safely."

"Actually, I think I would rather go to my room," she whispered, letting him pull her to her feet.  "My bed is so much more comfortable."

"No problem," he tucked her hand under his arm.  "Maybe we'll take a detour to the kitchen and grab something to eat.  I heard that Nanny felt so bad about your injuries she made your favorite brownies."

"Really?"  Allura's face lit up a bit.

"Yeah, I hear chocolate is one of the best pain relievers," Lance told her as the door slid shut behind them.

Keith turned to Koran, "Let me know the second you hear anything else."

"Will do, Captain."

"Cap?"

Keith looked up to see Hunk and Pidge still standing beside the console, "Oh, yeah, you guys are dismissed.  Don't go too far, though."

"Yes, sir."

Keith made his way to the hospital and found it quiet.  "Is Lt. Johansson here?"  He asked the nurse on duty.

"Yes, Captain.  He and Princess Romelle are in her room."

"Thank you," he nodded to her before turning to the closed door.  He raised his hand and knocked.  

There was a shuffling noise and then the door opened.  Romelle stood before him looking tired, "Keith, is everything alright?"

"Is Sven here?"

"Uh, yeah, he's lying down," she stepped into the hall, letting the door slide shut behind her.  "He isn't up to seeing anyone right now."

"Is he alright?"  Keith asked concerned.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead, "He's in a lot of pain, Keith.  His back tenses up and he has muscle spasms, painful ones."

"What has Dr. Gorma said?"

"He said that once Sven has built up his strength, there are specialists he can see, but he will never be the same."

Keith sighed and ran a hand through his hair, this was all too much.  First Allura and now Sven's injuries.  When he had signed up for the Garrison, he hadn't expected all of this, the stress, the emotions, everything was really starting to get to him.  "What can I do?"

Romelle smiled softly, "He's embarrassed about this, I don't know why, but he is. He doesn't want to make a big deal out of it."

"He's very independent," Keith muttered.  "He hates having to depend on anyone and after having been alone for so long, it's hard for him to ask for help."

She nodded, "Thank you for understanding."

"I just wanted to tell him that we got word that Zarkon had been fatally injured yesterday, he isn't going to make it through the night."

If Keith was expecting her to be happy, he was disappointed.  In fact, Romelle's expression didn't change at all.  She nodded slowly, "I'll tell him."

He laid a hand on her shoulder, "If there is anything, _anything_, at all that you guys need, please ask.  We are so thrilled to have Sven back and you.  We want to help."

"Thank you, Keith."  She turned and pressed the button to open the door.  Before it could slide shut, Keith caught sight of Sven lying on his stomach on the bed, his head resting on his arms, a heating pad on the small of his back.  Romelle laid a gentle hand on his shoulder and kissed his cheek before whispering something to him.

As soon as the door slid shut, Keith made his way slowly out of the hospital and toward his study.  He felt so helpless, irrationally angry and painfully jealous of his friend.  There was nothing he could do to help Sven or to fix things with Allura.  God, how he wanted to go to her now, hold her and tell her how he felt.  He wanted what Sven and Romelle had.  

******************************************************

"Come in," Allura called when she heard the knock on her door.

"You wanted to see me, Your Highness?"  Koran asked.

"Yes, Koran, please sit down."  Allura was reclining on her bed, feeling a little better.  She had spent the afternoon resting and watching some movie disks Lance had lent her.  The pain in her head was a constant, dull ache, but this was something she wanted to take care of now.

Koran turned her desk chair so it faced the bed and sat down, "What can I do for you?"

"Koran, is it true that there is a law stating that if a ruling monarch marries a commoner that monarch has to give up the throne to Arus?"  She was not in the mood for pleasantries and cut straight to the chase.

He raised his eyebrows, obviously surprised by her question, "Yes, there is.  Why do you ask?"

"It was recently brought to my attention and I was wondering why I was never taught this in our lessons of Arusian law."

"Your studies were interrupted by the war and so I glossed over some of what I thought were the lesser important laws.  This particular law hasn't been used in over 120 years, when your great-great-great-great-great uncle Alton abdicated the throne to be with a commoner."

Allura nodded, "That's when my great-great-great-great grandfather Avor became king."

"That's right, I knew you knew that story."

"I always thought it was so romantic that he was willing to give everything up for the woman he loved, but I didn't realize how difficult it was for him."

"What brought this about, Princess?"

She looked up at him, "I'll be honest with you, Koran, I am sick and tired of having these Princes forced on me.  I want to fall in love on my own."

He nodded, "Has it happened?"

"I don't know," Allura admitted, looking down at her comforter as she felt the heat rise to her face.  "I've, uh, I've never been in love before."

"Is it Lt. Collier?"

Allura laughed softly, "Lance?  No, he's just a good friend."

Koran felt the dread settle in his chest, he knew who it was.  "Princess…"

"Is there any way around this law?"  She interrupted.

"No, I'm sorry, there isn't."

"Well, then, I guess we'll have to change the law."

"You can't do that, Your Highness."

She raised an eyebrow, "And why not?"

"You know why not.  A law cannot be officially changed or added without the approval of the Cabinet."

"Koran, we haven't had a Cabinet in years, I have been ruling solely with you as my advisor."

"And I don't think your people would appreciate you marrying a commoner.  You have to think of them, they want royal blood to be passed on to your heirs."

"What about what I want?"  She demanded, sounding like a small child.

"Your Highness, you are young.  You cannot allow a youthful crush to disrupt hundreds of years of tradition."

"You don't understand."

Koran sighed and looked at her with pity, "I know it isn't easy for you.  You've had to shoulder an immense responsibility, having to take over ruling Arus.  I am acting as your advisor and you know I love you as though you were my own daughter and that is why I cannot allow you to make this mistake.  I am doing what is best for you and what your parents would want for you."

Tears burned Allura's eyes, "Why does everyone think they know what is best for me when all it does is make me miserable?  Wouldn't my parents want me to be happy?"

"Of course they would and so do I.  Someday you will meet the right Prince and this war will be over, you will marry and fill this castle with children."

"My head hurts, Koran, I'd like to be alone."

He nodded and stood, "Please understand that I only have your best interests at heart."

"I know."

"Rest, Princess, and don't hesitate to call me if you need anything."  When she didn't respond, Koran put the desk chair back and left the room.

"How's the Princess?"

Koran jumped when he heard Lance's voice.

"Her head is hurting her, she's resting."

Lance leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, "Why can't you let them be together, Koran?"

"This is not something I want to discuss with you, Lieutenant."

"They are obviously in love."

"It is totally improper."

"So Keith is good enough to put his life on the line to protect Arus, but he isn't good enough for the Princess."

"No he's not!"  Koran said angrily.  "This is a childish crush, I cannot allow the Princess to throw away her life and her throne for that."

"This is more than a crush and you know it," Lance growled.  "That's what worries you so much."

"You are here to do a job, Lieutenant, this is none of your business."

"It became my business when my friends got involved.  Keith is a good man and you know it, better than any of the Princes you and Nanny have paraded in here.  Life has been unbearable for the two of them, not being able to be together and Keith would die before he would do anything to dishonor the Princess.  You couldn't ask for a better man for Allura."

"Listen carefully, Lieutenant, you are way out of line, I don't want to have to contact the Garrison and report you for disciplinary actions.  If you can't keep your mind on the task at hand, maybe it would be best if you and the Captain looked for new assignments."  Koran turned and stalked down the hall.

Lance watched the older man walk away, his mouth open in shock.  There is no way that just happened, he thought.  Why are they so against Keith?  We have got to find a way around this.  He turned and hurried toward the library, hoping Pidge found something.


	16. Startling News And Powerful Magic

Hi!  
  


Bell!  It's great to see you back…I'm glad you picked up on the passion of that scene.

RedLion2, Anony, Craze, R-Krulle, D.G. and everyone else ~ Thank you so much for you reviews!

Enjoy,

Failte

*******************************************

_{{  "I can't believe Koran would behave like that," Becca said._

_"You can't really blame him," Keith explained.  "Allura was the last of her line and it had always been assumed that she would marry royalty.  As far as Koran knew, she just had a crush on me, he couldn't allow her to throw away hundreds of years of tradition for that."_

_"Don't defend him," Allura huffed.  "I knew what I felt and what I wanted, but everyone else thought I was too young to be able to think for myself."_

_"That's not true, we were just trying to figure out what was best for you and Arus."_

_Allura__ got on her knees and faced her husband, "You were just as bad as Koran!  You kept telling me we couldn't be together, you just gave up!"_

_"I didn't give up!" Keith sat up and turned to face her.  "I was just trying to do what was right, if we couldn't be together I didn't see why we had to torture ourselves by pretending otherwise."_

_"You should have known that if it was meant to be, we would find a way around the law, Lance knew that."_

_"Yeah, well, I was always more bold than Keith," Lance spoke up.  "And I never really stuck to the code of honor crap that he was into."_

_"I can vouch for that," Darcy mumbled._

_"And I just got sick of the two of you whining and walking around complaining about how you can't be together," Lance added._

_"But in the time that I've been here, I've gotten to know Koran and I just can't believe he would do that," Becca said._

_"Well, he has mellowed with age," Keith told her._

_Allura__ nodded, "And things have changed since then.  I officially became Queen, I tend to use my Prince Consort in an advisory position, and we do have a Cabinet now."_

_Becca__ covered her mouth as she yawned, "What happened?"_

_"Things were quiet for a while," Lance said.  "Kadmus arrived two days after Zarkon died to go over the castle…}}_

Allura stood with Koran and Keith in Castle Control watching as Kadmus' ship entered Arusian airspace.  Koran's letter had reached the old wizard the day before and Kadmus had agreed to arrive as soon as possible.

An awkward silence hung around them as they watched the radar screen.  Every since she had spoken to Koran about the law, things had been different between them.  Allura wasn't quite sure how to behave around him, she was angry and hurt, but she knew that she still needed him.  

Koran made a point to stand between the Princess and the Captain.  He had spoken to Nanny and the two of them made sure that Keith and Allura were never alone for long.  It was wearing on the Captain, he noticed.  Keith had thrown himself entirely into his work, avoiding any free time with the Princess and his teammates.  Koran knew Keith had submitted a request for a transfer with the Garrison, but he hadn't told Allura.

The door slid open and Lance wandered in, "How's it going?"

"He should be landing any moment now," Keith told him.  "Where are Hunk and Pidge?"

"They're going over Blue."

Allura looked up at him, "Did they find the problem?"

Lance shook his head, "Hunk thinks it might just be a misfiring cylinder."

"Come along, Your Highness," Koran interrupted.  "Let's go meet him on the tarmac."

Allura gathered her skirt and quietly followed him from the room.

  
"So who is this guy?"  Lance whispered to Keith.

"He's a wizard who Allura thinks can help us find out how Haggar got into the castle and how we can stop her from doing it again," he explained.

"A wizard," Lance muttered.  "This all seems a little too weird."

"Hey," Keith grabbed his arm.  "Show some respect, he was a good friend of King Alfor's."

Lance scowled, "Give me some credit, Keith, I know how to behave."

The two men joined Allura and Koran on the side of the tarmac.  Allura instinctively took a step closer to Keith and away from Koran.  They had both started finding ways to unconsciously be closer, whether Keith was moving his chair closer to hers at the dinner table or Allura walking beside him rather than in front of him.  Neither of them had noticed these little idiosyncrasies, but everyone else sure had.

A small transport ship touched down and Allura stepped forward nervously as the door slid open and a walkway extended.  A small, stooped figure wearing a long, dark green hooded cloak and leaning heavily on a tall wooden staff shuffled down the walkway.  

Allura smiled and crossed the tarmac to curtsey before the man, "Kadmus, thank you so much for coming."

A gnarled brown hand slipped from beneath the sleeve of the cloak and clutched Allura's, "Your Highness, it is a pleasure.  I am so glad to be of service to you and your people."  His voice was high pitched and scratchy and while he didn't speak loudly, his words carried across the tarmac clearly.

Kadmus slipped his arm through Allura's and allowed her to lead him to the others.  "Kadmus, you remember Koran, my advisor."

Koran bowed deeply, "Kadmus, it is so good to see you again."

"And you, Koran."

Alllura turned to the other two men, "And this is Captain Keith Whitaker, Commander of the Voltron Force, and Lieutenant Lance Collier, Second-in-Command of the Voltron Force."

Keith bowed and took the brown hand Kadmus offered.  His grip was surprisingly strong and while his hand was cold, a strong warmth spread through Keith at their contact.  Kadmus lifted his head and Keith could see the creased brown face of the ancient man, his eyes were dark, but kind, and his expression was determined and strong.

"It's an honor, sir," Keith said.

"It is an honor for me, Captain," Kadmus smiled, his eyes completely disappearing in the wrinkles of his face.

Lance accepted the hand Kadmus offered, "Nice to meet you, sir."

"And you, Lieutenant."

"I can show you to your room, Kadmus," Allura offered.  "I'm sure you would like to rest."

"Actually, Your Highness, I would like to examine the castle now, get a feel for it."

"I understand, I will find an escort for you."

"That's unnecessary."

"With all due respect, sir, I think it would be easier if you had an escort, at least for now.  I wouldn't want you to be disturbed by guards who didn't recognize you."

Kadmus looked up at her with his eye disappearing smile, "I appreciate that, Your Highness."  He turned to Koran, "Maybe you would like to escort me?"

"Of course," Koran offered him his arm.

"So that's what a wizard looks like," Lance said as soon as the door closed behind Kadmus and Koran.

"Don't let his size fool you," Allura turned to face them.  "He is a very powerful wizard."

Keith and Lance exchanged a skeptical look.

"What, uh," Keith rubbed the back of his neck.  "What exactly are you hoping to get from this Allura?"

"Kadmus will examine the castle and he will be able to tell us where magic may have been, where Haggar might have entered.  Then, hopefully, he'll be able to help us secure the castle from any future break-ins."  She explained.

Lance shrugged, "I'll believe it when I see it."

Keith rolled his eyes, "Go man Castle Control, Lance."

With a quick salute, Lance sauntered back into the castle.

"How're you holding up?"  He asked Allura.

"I'm fine."

Her bruises were starting to fade into a yellowish-brown color and she hadn't allowed her headaches to keep her down.  Keith studied her worriedly, she seemed to be feeling better, but he also knew she would rather die than admit to any weakness.

She smiled at him, "Really, I'm fine."

"Your bruises are fading," he commenting, tracing his fingertip down her cheek.

"Good, I'll stop scaring the children."

He flashed a half-hearted smile, "You're beautiful."

Allura felt her knees go weak and was afraid she was going to collapse right there on the tarmac.

Keith shook his head, like he was waking from a deep sleep, "Sorry."

"Don't be."

"I'm not sorry I said it, I'm sorry that we're once again in an awkward situation and it's my fault."

"Yeah, well, I'm sick of these awkward situations," she took a step closer.

"So am I."

"We could just throw caution to the wind and be open with our feelings," she boldly leaned closer.

"And raise our hopes for something that can never be?"

Allura sighed deeply and took a step back, "Way to ruin the moment, Keith."

"We need to talk, Allura."

"I don't like the sound of this."

"I've been trying to come up with a good time to tell you this and I don't think Koran or Nanny is about to burst in on us."

A frightening chill raced down Allura's spine, "What is it, Keith?"

He let out a breath and looked around, seeing soldiers, pilots, and mechanics milling about.  "Let's go for a walk."

Keith waited until they had cleared the tarmac and were nearing the garden before he spoke.  "I've been doing a lot of thinking and I have come to a decision."

Allura kept silent, afraid to speak.

He clasped his hands behind his back as they meandered through the narrow path of the garden, "This is very hard for me, so I'll just come out and say it.  I put in for a transfer."

"What?"  Allura whispered.

He swallowed and found it hard to repeat himself.  "I, uh, I wrote to the Garrison and, um, I requested a transfer," his voice wavered.

Allura pursed her lips and turned from him.  She kept her back to him, but he could tell by the way her shoulders were heaving that she was taking deep breaths, trying to keep control.

"It'll be alright, Allura, I'm sure they'll move Lance up to Commander and he'll do a great job.  When I get my orders, I should have enough time to train him with Black.  And with Zarkon dead, the threat is not nearly as bad as it was…"  Keith stopped when she whirled to face him.

He had expected tears or sadness, what he got was anger.  Fury.  Rage.  He took a tentative step back.

"How could you!"  She yelled at him.  "How can you be so selfish?  So…so conceited?  How can you do this to Arus?  To the Force?  To…to me?  You are not the man I thought you were!"

"Allura…"

"We need you, Keith!"

"Allura, it's for the b…"  
  


"I swear, Keith, if you say this is for the best or in my best interest, I will punch you!"

Keith ran his hand through his hair, feeling frustrated and ashamed.

"Why," her voice shook.  "Why are you doing this to me?"

"I have to," he whispered.

"No you don't.  Damn you!"  She whirled around and caught sight of the rose bushes.  When she spoke again, her voice was surprisingly steady.  "How could you do this to me?  You're here for nearly two years, we forge a deep friendship, I have come to rely on you both as a friend and for your advice in protecting my planet.  I have never…" She stopped and swallowed hard around the lump in her throat, "I have never tried to hide my feelings for you, I think you know exactly how I feel."

Keith laid his hand on her shoulder and forced her to turn and face him, "And I have tried to be honest with you and look where it has gotten us."

"I don't think I can do this without you," she admitted.

At a loss as to what to do or say, Keith did the one thing he knew was wrong.  He pulled her tight against him and wrapped his arms around her.  

"Yes you can," he whispered.  "You were doing it before I came and you will be able to do it after I'm gone."

"My planet was in ruins before you guys arrived," she mumbled into his chest.

"No, you had managed to keep your people together.  The rest of the Force will still be here and you will have Voltron.  You and Arus will be fine."  He felt her shake in his arms and it took every ounce of self control he had to control his own emotions.

"Arus might be, I don't know about me, though."

"Allura," he took her by the shoulders and pulled her back so he could look down at her.  "If I thought for one second that…that things could be different between us, I would stay.  All I know is that my being here is just too much for me.  I have taken your feelings into consideration, really I have, you're all I've been thinking about.  I need you to realize that this…this is killing me."

She pursed her lips and nodded slowly, "What if…what if we find a way around this law?"

"I don't see how."

Allura wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "I realize why you're doing this, I don't agree with it, but I understand.  I'm not ready to give up."

"I'm not giving up, Allura, I'm being reasonable."

"Well, maybe you need to stop being so reasonable."

Keith gently cupped her cheek and wiped a tear away with the pad of his thumb, "I'm at my wit's end, Allura."

"So am I."

"Princess!"

Allura closed her eyes and choked on a sob at the sound of Nanny's voice.

"Dammit," Keith whispered.

"What is going on here?"  Nanny demanded as she hurried towards them.

"Not now, Nanny," Allura replied.

"You will not talk to me like that, young lady."

"Captain, Lt. Collier is looking for you."

Keith gave Allura a weak smile and squeezed her shoulder, "I'll find you later."

Allura watched as Keith jogged back to the castle.

"Oh, Princess, you're crying, what happened?"  Nanny's voice softened.  "Did he upset you?"

Allura buried her face in her hands and sobbed, unable to respond.

"Oh, my poor baby, what is it?  What's wrong?  It's not like you to cry like this.  Come here," Nanny folded the young woman in her arms.  "Tell me what's wrong."

"H-he's l-leaving," Allura sobbed into her old governess' shoulder.

Nanny nodded sympathetically and patted her back, "It'll be alright, Princess, you will still have Voltron, Arus is safe."

Allura pushed Nanny away, "You don't understand!"

The older woman watched as the Princess sobbed uncontrollably into her hands.

"You really do love him, don't you?"  Nanny whispered.

Allura nodded.

"Does he love you?"

She nodded again.

"Then why is he leaving?"

Allura wiped her eyes with her hands, "There is an Arusian law that says if I marry a commoner I have to give up my throne and there is no one to rule in my place."

Nanny clucked her tongue and shook her head, "I can't believe that law is still in use."

With hope in her eyes, Allura looked up at Nanny, "You approve of him?"

"Well, I can't deny that I had hoped you would choose a Prince," Nanny told her.  "But the Captain is a good man and it is your happiness that's important."

"Oh thank you, Nanny," Allura hugged her tightly.  "I thought you didn't approve."

"I thought it was just a crush and that you would get over it when the right Prince came along.  But your feelings for each other are obvious.  He cares for you and has shown it many times over in the way he watches out for you.  He is smart and handsome, the only thing he is lacking is a title."

Allura felt like a huge weight was lifted off her chest.  With Nanny on her side, they might just beat this.

"Now, if you had chosen Lt. Collier, I would not approve."

A quick laugh escaped Allura's lips, "Lance is a good man, too."

"Maybe he is, but he's not good enough for you."  Nanny wrapped her arm around Allura's shoulders, "Come on, lets get you cleaned up.  I'm sure Kadmus will want to meet with you when he's done."

**************************************************************

"What is it, Lance?"  Keith asked when he entered Castle Control.

Lance looked up and saw the expression on Keith's face, "Whoa, are you alright, man?"

He ignored the question.  "Nanny said you wanted to see me, what is it?"

"I, uh, I just wanted to tell you that Hunk said it'll take longer to fix Blue than he thought, it's no big deal.  I didn't realize I was interrupting something.  What's wrong, Keith?"

"I guess you need to know to," Keith sighed.  "I put in for a transfer, I'm waiting to hear back from the Garrison."

Lance grabbed the edge of the console, feeling like he had just been punched in the stomach.  "You can't be serious."

"I am and it's not up for discussion.  I'm going to be in my study in case I am needed."

Lance watched Keith leave in shock.  This can not be happening, he thought.  But he realized how true it was when the door opened and Allura and Nanny walked in.  He took one look at Allura's tear stained face and knew exactly what he had interrupted.

"We're not going to let him go," Lance told her.  "This is his stupid sense of duty and code of honor.  I think it's time we let you in on what Pidge has been doing in the library."

***************************************************************

"Yes, the highest concentration of magical interference is here," Kadmus muttered.  He was standing beside a large window in Allura's study.  It was on the second floor of the castle over looking the meadow. 

"You think they came in here?"  Koran asked.

"Mm hmm," Kadmus ran a hand over the window.  "Haggar is angry.  Zarkon's death has upset her greatly, there will be payback."

"What can we do?"

"There are wards I can put around windows and doorways that will make it difficult for her to enter."  Kadmus murmured under his breath and waved his hands over the window.  The glass glowed a bright blue before returning to normal.  "Tell me about the Captain."

"What?"  Koran asked, startled.

"The Captain," Kadmus turned and left the room, crossing to the door to Keith's office.  "The power is strong here too.  They were looking for the Princess when they entered the castle and when they didn't find her in her study, they immediately thought to check the Captain's.  Is he a good man?"

"Who?"  Koran was finding it hard to keep up with Kadmus' train of thought.

  
"The Captain," he pressed the button with his gnarled hand and watched the door to Keith's office slid open.  "Yes, they were here.  Is the Captain a good man?"

"Yes he is.  He is a good leader and has an amazing analytical mind when it comes to military tactics."

"So he does his job well, that wasn't my question.  I see Haggar is still quite full of anger, but I feel another anger in here, Lotor, the Prince, he is very upset.  He thinks he is in love with the Princess, well, he is in his own way, but he knows she doesn't love him.  He was here and he left behind feelings of anger, frustration and jealousy.  Is the Captain a good man?"

"What…yes, I suppose he is," Koran sighed.

"Lotor is jealous of the Captain, as much as he may love the Princess he hates the Captain even more."

"What are you doing?"

Kadmus stood in the center of the room and closed his eyes, "The Princess' study was full of feelings of frustration and obsession.  This room is full of anger and hatred.  Emotions and feelings stay in rooms, they are soaked into the walls and they will start to affect the people who live within those walls.  We need to purge the castle of the feelings left behind by Lotor and Haggar, if we don't they will serve as openings for them to walk right in."

Keith was not in the mood to see or talk to anyone at the moment and when he got to his study and found Kadmus and Koran, he felt a surge of irritation and anger.

"We are almost done here, Captain," Kadmus said without opening his eyes.

"What are you doing?"  Keith asked.

"We are retracing the steps Haggar took when she entered the castle."

"What have you discovered?"

"They entered through the Princess' study and came in here, I feel their presence."

Keith felt a chill at the thought of how close they had come to Allura.

  
"Don't worry, Captain, I am doing everything in my power to protect her."  Kadmus opened his eyes and turned to face Keith.  "I will be back with the necessary potions to cleanse your office."

Keith furrowed his brow in confusion, "What?"

Kadmus smiled, "Trust me.  Koran, show me where the Princess was taken."

"Of course, follow me," Koran started from the room.

Kadmus paused as he passed Keith, "Running away is never the answer, Captain.  You only win when you fight for what is right."

Keith watched as the old man shuffled slowly down the hall, fighting back the urge to call after him and ask him to explain himself.


	17. Finally!

Hi All!

  
Queen Merla!  I'm so glad you're back and I am so happy you're enjoying the story!

RedLion2, Bell, Anony, Craze, Dee, D.G., Black Knight 03, R-Krulle ~ Thank you guys so much for your reviews.  I'm going to be honest, it just makes my day to check my email and see your reviews.  I love the reactions to Nanny's change of heart.  It seemed like all the stories I ever read, she didn't approve of Keith, so what would happen if she did?  I wanted to know, so I wrote it that way.  And in the end, they're giving her five kids to fawn over :-)

Thank you all!

Failte

**********************************************

Sven watched as Romelle slept.  She was still weak, but was becoming healthier by the day.  Dr. Gorma was optimistic that she would fully recover, it was just taking her time to readjust to life outside of Doom.

He stood from his seat in the chair beside her bed and stretched his back.  He could feel the muscles starting to cramp and they screamed in protest as he stretched his arms above his head.  Sven looked down at the woman in the bed and smiled.  She was so strong, so smart, so beautiful.  Everything he ever wanted in a woman and she loved him.  Who would have thought that the worst thing to happen to him would lead to the best?  If he hadn't been captured by Doom, he would never have met Romelle.

The day before, Keith had given him and Romelle communicators in case there were any problems.  Sven had programmed Romelle's so she only had to push a button to contact him.  Nanny had set up Sven in a room in the same hall as the Force, while Romelle was given a room next to Allura's.  Sven had seen her to her room and given her a kiss goodnight, but less than ten minutes later she called him on his communicator and they talked for another hour.  He smiled softly at the memory and set her communicator on the table beside her bed.  

The hallway was empty when Sven left her room.  He had listened to the others talk about this wizard, Kadmus, and he was curious.  But Romelle hadn't slept well the night before, she was having nightmares.  She had been falling asleep at the lunch table and he had helped her to her room, promising to stay until she fell asleep.  When she woke, she knew she only had to call him up on his communicator and he would be there.

Sven arrived at the closed door to Keith's study and knocked.  He heard the sound of drawers slamming shut before Keith called out, "Who is it?"

"It's me."

"Yeah, come in."

The door slid open and Sven wandered in.  He couldn't help but notice the unusually cluttered appearance of Keith's desk and the dark expression on his face.  "Vhat's going on?"

"Kadmus arrived about twenty minutes ago, he and Koran are examining the castle.  He said that Lotor and Haggar had entered through Allura's study and then came in here, he said he could feel their presence and the emotions they left behind.  I'm really beginning to think he's a crackpot.  He even said something about bringing potions in here to cleanse it."

"Uh huh," Sven fell into the chair across from the desk.  "Vhat is really bothering you?"

"I guess I should tell you too, everyone needs to know," Keith shuffled some papers in front of him and nervously arranged them into a pile.  "I requested a transfer from the Garrison."

"Vhy vould you do dat?"

"I need to get out of here, Sven."  
  
"Allura?"

"Yeah."  
  


"Romelle tinks Allura's in love vith you."

Keith sighed, "An old Arusian law, if Allura marries a commoner she has to give up her throne."

Sven nodded slowly, "Marriage?"

"I'm crazy about her, Sven, but I can't start a relationship just to…just to have a fling. I…I care too much to do that to her."

A grin slowly crossed Sven's face, "You know, ve all saw dis coming."

"Shut up, Sven."

"No, really, from de second ve stepped foot on Arus, but dis is ridiculous.  Vhy are you running avay?"

"I am _not_ running away!"  Keith stood and paced his office.  "Why does everyone think that?  We can't be together, so why should we continue to torture ourselves?  The best thing is for me to leave and Allura to find a Prince she can marry."

"I don't envy you, Keit."

"No, but I envy you.  You can be with Romelle."

Sven stood and faced his friend, "Have you told Allura?"

Keith nodded.

"Vhat did she say?"

He shrugged, "She's upset."

"I can't believe you're actually doing dis."

"I don't know what else to do, Sven," Keith whispered.

Sven watched the intense emotions play across his friend's face and he felt so sorry, so helpless.  "Maybe it is for de best, Keit."

Keith nodded again and walked behind his desk.

"Vhen did you send in de request?"

"A couple of days ago."

"Vhen vill you know?"

Keith shrugged and rubbed his eyes with the heels of hands, "I don't know."

A loud, insistent knock interrupted their conversation.

"Who is it?"  Keith asked, tiredly.

"It's me," Lance called.  "I have got great news for you, come on."

Keith looked at Sven who shrugged.  The two men crossed to the door and slid it open.  Before Keith could speak, Lance grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room.

"Lance, I am really not in the mood," Keith growled.  "What are you doing?"  
  


"Buddy," Lance threw an arm around Keith's shoulders.  "We are about to change your life."

"What are you talking about?"

"Long story short, Keith.  Pidge, Hunk, and I have been doing a little research into Arusian law.  We found the law that forbids Allura from marrying you…"

"Lance, I told you not to get involved."

"And we found a way around said law."  Lance continued.

Keith stopped, "What?"

With a smile on his lips, Lance spoke slowly, like he was addressing a child.  "We…found…a…way…around…the…law."

Sven grinned, "Come on, Keit, let's see vhat dey found."

Keith followed his friends toward the library, his heart racing.  Was it true?  Did they really find a way around the law?  Was this it?  He felt his palms moisten as nerves danced in his stomach.  This was all he wanted, but now that it could be happening, he was terrified.  Who was he to think he could be with Allura?  He was nothing, he had nothing to offer her, he didn't have money or breeding.  Who was he trying to fool?

"Keit?"

He looked over at Sven.  They had stopped walking in front of the door to the library.

  
"Are you okay?  You look sick."

Keith nodded numbly.

The door slid open and they heard Allura.

"I can't believe it was this easy!  Why didn't we think of it before?"

"I think that's why we missed it," Pidge said.  "It was too easy."

"Vhat is it?"  Sven asked.

Pidge and Allura looked up from where they were bent over a table covered with open books.  As soon as she saw him, Allura ran over and threw her arms around Keith's neck.  
  
"It's okay," she whispered.  "We found it, we found the way around the law."

Confused, and a little embarrassed, Keith gently pushed her away.  "What, uh, wh-what are you talking about?"

She took his hand and pulled him over to the table.  Pidge stepped aside and Allura jabbed her finger at a highlighted passage.  Keith leaned over and read

            **Section 23F, Subsection 7, Part 4-L states:**

**In times of war, or states of emergency, it is permissible for the ruling monarch to make changes, as needed, to the laws governing the Planet Arus.  See Section 17K, Subsection 12, Part 5-X**

Keith flipped to Section 17 and found the aforementioned passage

            **Section 17K, Subsection 12, Part 5-X states:**

**In times of war, or states of emergency, the ruling monarch of Planet Arus may overrule the Cabinet as needed for the betterment of the people of Arus.  See Section 41R, Subsection 3, Part 6-G.**

Before he could find the next section, Pidge placed his hand on the book, "We've read over all of this, Cap.  To summarize, because we're at war, Allura can make a law and sign it into action.  Once the war is over, the law will be reexamined by the Cabinet and if she can convince them the law is good for the planet, they will officially pass it."

Keith lowered himself into the chair, trying to comprehend what he was just told.  

Sven laid a hand on Pidge's shoulder and nodded his head toward the door.  Taking the hint, Pidge grabbed Lance's arm and they followed Sven out of the room, shutting the door behind them.

"Keith," Allura laid a hand on his shoulder, worried about his silence.

"How would this be for the betterment of your people?"  He whispered.

"As Lance put it, a happy Princess means a happy planet."  
  


Keith chuckled, "This seems too easy.  Can we really do this?"

"Pidge found this yesterday afternoon and he said he checked ever section and subsection he could and he said he couldn't find any reason why we couldn't.  We're at war, I'm the ruling monarch, the only possible problem could be convincing the Cabinet that the law would be good for the planet.  I don't see how they could disagree, it is such an outdated law."

"What will Koran say?"

Feeling bold, Allura slid her arms around his neck and rested her chin on his shoulder, "Nanny approves.  I think she'll help us.  I'm sick of doing what everyone expects me to do, I want to do what I want."

Keith felt his shoulders slump as a realization sunk in.  "Sit down, Allura."

She sat in the chair beside him, "What is it?  Don't you want this?"

"Changing a law is huge, Allura, it is not something that can be taken lightly."

"I know that."

"Are you sure you really want this?  It isn't some kind of rebellion, a way to fight back against Koran…"

Her cheeks darkened as anger clouded her eyes, "I can't believe this.  You still think I don't know what I'm doing."

"It's not that, Allura, you're one of the smartest people I know.  I just…"

"What is it, Keith?  I thought you wanted this."

"I do, oh, God, I do.  You have no idea how much."

"Then why are you fighting this?"

He looked down at the books spread out in front of him, "It just seems so unbelievable.  Why…why would you want to change a law, change hundreds of years of tradition, for…for _me?"_

"For us," Allura whispered, laying her hand over his.  

"I don't have anything to offer you," he whispered, giving a voice to his concerns.  "I'm a pilot.  I don't have a lot of money or any royal blood…"

"You always think of everyone before yourself, you like boring war movies, and you only read historical nonfiction," she interrupted.  "You help build houses, plant rose bushes, or sew a button on your shirt.  You can be moody and quiet and intimidating.  You can be sweet and funny and kind.  Just when I think I have you all figured out, you turn around and do something totally unexpected.  You always hold the door open for me or offer me your seat, you've been so patient about training, but when we're in a battle you treat me just like everyone else.  Everything about my life has changed since you entered it and I don't ever want it to go back to the way it was.  You make me feel safe, you calm me when I'm stressed, and you bring me up when I'm down."  Her voice shook, but she kept her eyes locked on his.

Keith broke eye contact with her, staring down at his feet, finding it hard to believe that that was how she felt. She knew him, it seemed, better than he knew himself. He felt foolish as he blinked his eyes, feeling the moisture building up there and the lump in his throat. He didn't deserve her or the depth of her feelings.  
  
Allura waited, holding her breath, to hear what he had to say. She had done it. She had laid all of her feelings out for him, bared her soul, and now came the hard part of hearing his rejection. If his feelings for her were anywhere near as strong as her feelings for him, he would not be doubting her, he would be helping her write the new law. But she knew he was going over all this in his mind. He couldn't just jump in, he would be thinking it over, going over the pros and cons, how this would affect the Force, how it would change their lives. And it would change their lives. Right now, this moment, his response was going to determine their lives together. And as far as she was concerned, that was the only life she wanted.  
  
"Keith?" Her voice was barely audible as she spoke his name.  
  
He stood and paced in front of the table, his hands clasped behind his back. Allura could all but see the wheels turning in his head as he contemplated his reply. She couldn't read the expression on his face.  He pursed his lips, then opened his mouth and licked his lips.  He took a deep breath and then let it out slowly.  
  
Dread swept over Allura as she came to the realization that she had said too much. She had pushed too hard, too fast. But she also knew that she couldn't sit on her feelings any longer, she had to let it all out or else explode with the knowledge of it.  
  
Keith stopped pacing beside her and looked down, seeing the dread and anticipation on her face. He had to put her out of her misery. Taking her hands in his, he pulled her to her feet.  
  
"I don't know what to say," he said lowly.  
  
Allura blushed and looked down, embarrassed.  
  
Keith placed a finger under her chin and gently tilted her head back so she was looking up at him. Without another word, he lowered his mouth to hers and captured it in a tender kiss.   
  
With a sigh, Allura let go of his hands and slid her arms around his neck, enjoying the feel of his body against hers, his hands as they slid around her back. He splayed his fingers, almost completely covering her back with his hands as though he couldn't touch enough of her.   
  
Keith broke the kiss and looked down at her. Allura watched him through her lashes. She saw the passion in his eyes and she felt the devotion in his hands. He slowly lowered his forehead so it rested against hers.  
  
"Let's write a law," he breathed.  
  
Allura let out a breath she hadn't realized she had been holding. Relief swept through her as she tightened her arms around him and rested her cheek against his chest. She could hear his heartbeat and noticed that it was racing as quickly as her own. He kept one hand on the small of her back, holding her against him, while the other gently stroked her hair. They stood like this for a while, just enjoying the feel of each other.  
  


"This isn't going to be easy," Keith whispered into her hair.

"I know."

"This is huge."

"I know."

"Not everyone is going to approve."

"I don't care."

With a small smile, Keith kissed the top of her head.  Allura tilted her head back to look up at him, tears in her eyes and a smile on her lips.  He raised his hand and gently cupped her cheek.

"I don't know what to say, Allura," he whispered.  "You are the most amazing woman I've ever known.  You're strong and classy and sweet and beautiful.  I've…I've had feelings for you for so long, but I didn't think you could ever care for me.  You were so far out of my league, I thought I was fooling myself.  I couldn't believe you could care for me."

"Well, believe it, but I really wish you would stop putting yourself down.  You're too important."  She stood on her toes and pressed a kiss to his lips.

  
Elsewhere in the castle, Kadmus smiled softly.  
  
"What is it?" Koran asked.  
  
"You will see very soon, Koran. And you will learn that the only thing that can really defeat hatred is love." The old wizard replied crytically.  
  


_{{  "You actually changed a law so you could marry Keith?"  Becca sat on the edge of her seat, completely enthralled with the story._

_"We weren't actually thinking of marriage at that point," Keith told her._

_"Well, I was," Allura interrupted._

_"Okay, we were both thinking about it, but were too afraid to say it.  We didn't realize at the time how hard it was going to be, it sounded so easy.  But before we could even put pen to paper, we were interrupted by Doom," Keith explained.  He let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair, "God, it was awful."_

_Allura__ laid her hand on his knee and gently squeezed, "But I was alright."_

_"Yeah, but we didn't know that for about six days.  Lotor attacked for the first time since his father's death and he did things differently…}}_


	18. Taken

Keith and Allura jumped apart as the shrill ringing of the castle alarms filled the air.

"Oh no, not now," Allura pleaded.

"Come on," he grabbed her hand and they raced from the library.

Lance and Hunk were in Castle Control talking to the guard on duty.  Pidge ran in from the work room while Sven hurried back to Romelle's room to check on her.  Koran and Kadmus appeared right behind Keith and Allura.

"What's going on?"  Keith demanded, crossing over to the main console.

"Doom, it looks like a dozen ships," Lance told him.

"But no coffin," Hunk muttered.

"Fighters?"  Allura asked.

Lance nodded.

Keith opened a line of communication and announced, "You have entered Arusian airspace, state your business."  He felt Allura come and stand beside him.

There was no response.

"You have entered Arusian airspace, state your business or we will be forced to fire upon you."  Keith knew the guards had manned the turret guns as soon as the alarms had gone off.

In response, the castle shook as a shot was fired, hitting the north tower.  They could hear the turret guns returning fire.  

"To your Lions," Keith called running to his entry tube.

******************

"What's going on?"  Romelle whispered to Sven.  They were in her room, she was curled up beside him, wrapped tightly in his arms, as they listened to the fire exchanged.

"It's probably Doom," he told her.

She shuddered and turned her face into his shoulder.

"It's alright," he soothed, running his hand over her hair.  "It's alright, noting vill happen to you, I promise.  You're safe."

"Why can't he leave us alone?"  
  


"I don't know, honey, but I do know you're safe.  Keit probably already has de Lions in de air."

Romelle tilted her head back and looked up at him, "And you want to be up there with them right now."

He smiled softly and kissed the top of her head, "Dere is no place else I'd rather be den right here vith you."

Romelle brought her hand up to the back of his head and brought his mouth down to hers.  Sven was more than a little surprised, but he gladly gave into her.  Romelle rarely initiated any moments of intimacy.  It was always him who kissed her, took her hand, or hugged her.  He knew that after everything Lotor had done to her as part of his harem, she was intimidated by men and terrified of being touched.  They had been together two months before she felt comfortable enough to kiss him, that had been the day he had contacted Keith.  For his own part, Sven couldn't get enough of her and he would never stop touching her, holding her hand, stroking her hair, kissing her, but he didn't want to frighten her away.

"I love you," he whispered.  "And as long as I am here, you have noting to vorry about, I vill keep you safe.  I promise."

Another shot shook the castle.

Romelle sighed shakily, "Come on, I want to know what's going on."  
  


"Are you sure?"  Sven asked as she untangled herself from his arms and stood.

She nodded.

With a reassuring smile, Sven took her hand and they made their way to Castle Control where Koran and Kadmus stood watching the fight.

*************************

Keith watched as Blue was hit before firing three shots of her own and hitting a Doom Fighter.  He knew she was capable of handling herself, but it was somehow different now.

A dozen Doom Fighters had entered Arusian airspace and circled the castle, randomly firing.  The Lions split apart and managed to take down half the ships without a problem, but more arrived, a half a dozen more along with a large transport ship, but no coffin.  Yellow and Green followed four Fighters who had taken off in the direction of Alforia.  Blue followed three Fighters who had flown over the woods while Red and Black circled the castle to take care of the others.  It didn't take long for the Fighters to either be shot down or forced away from the castle and off the planet.

Fifteen minutes after the Fighters had arrived, Keith called for a roll call.

"I'm here, but Red took a beating," Lance replied, rubbing his sore neck.

"Yeah, Yellow's alright, don't know if I can speak for myself."

"I think I sprained my wrist, but Green seems to be in good spirits."

"Allura," Keith tried to open a connection with Blue, but no response was returned.  "Allura!  Respond immediately!"

The four pilots held their breath and waited.

"Koran, do you have a fix on her homing device?"  Keith asked frantically.

"No, Captain, I don't."

"Alright, Hunk, Pidge, I want you back in Castle Control, see what you can do about honing in on her homing device.  Lance, you and I are going to circle, see if we can find anything."

"Yes, sir," the Force called back.

Lance pulled Red up and circled above the castle and then went higher.  They were gone.  He watched as Black flew over the woods, searching for Blue, wanting to find her, but afraid of what he would find.  

Keith felt his heart racing and his palms sweating.  This cannot be happening, he thought.  "Please God, let her be alright."  He didn't realize he said that out loud until Lance replied.

"She'll be fine, man, we'll find her."

Keith ignored him and asked, "Pidge, Hunk, you find anything?"

"Not yet, Cap.  You?"  Hunk replied as he worked on tuning in her homing signal.

"Even if she had crashed, Blue would still be giving off a signal," Pidge told him.

"And we would have noticed if Blue had gone down in the woods," Lance added.

Keith knew they were trying to reassure him, but it really wasn't helping. 

"Keith," Lance said gently after they had searched for half an hour.  "She isn't here."

"Let's head in, we'll regroup in Castle Control and see what we can find."  Keith sounded a lot more calm than he was.  He didn't know if his head was going to explode or if he was going to punch his fist into Black's onboard computer.

"Nothing," Pidge said glumly as Keith and Lance entered Castle Control.

"It's like she just disappeared off the face of the planet," Hunk muttered, tweaking a few more knobs, getting no response.

"She can't just have disappeared," Keith roared.  "Find her!  No one rests, no one eats, no one so much as goes to the bathroom until we know where she is!"

Sven laid a hand on his friend's shoulder, "Calm down, Keit, ve'll find her."

Keith shook his hand off and whirled on Pidge, "Why haven't you contacted Doom?"

"W-we tried," Pidge stammered.  "Th-there was no r-response.  The, uh, the c-castle is empty."

"You think they have her?"  Lance asked.

"What else?  We searched the planet and couldn't find anything.  She followed three Doom Fighters into the woods and disappeared.  No one saw her go.  Where else is she?"  Keith jabbed frantically at the air, gesturing wildly.

Kadmus shuffled over to him and laid a hand on his arm.  Immediately, a calming warmth flooded through Keith.  "Calm yourself, Captain, calm yourself.  You will find her, but not if you are irrational."

Keith took a deep breath, "Alright, guys, just do what you can.  I want a line open at all times in case Lotor tries to contact us.  I also want the four of us to start a rotation, I want a Force Member on the board in here at all times.  Keep trying to contact the castle on Doom.  We have to find her.  I am going to start contacting the Garrison outposts on every planet in the area and have them keep an eye open for Doom and Allura."

************************************************************

"What do you want?"  Allura asked Lotor.  Her voice shook, not from fear but from anger.

"I think you know what I want, Princess," Lotor smiled.  

Lotor had arrived on Arus after his Fighters had forced the Lions apart and led the Princess' Lion away from the others.  With his father gone, Lotor was now able to do things his way and that meant going after the Princess, not Voltron.  He knew that once he had her, getting the giant robot warrior would be easy.  Taking the large ship used to transport coffins and robeasts, they swooped down and captured Blue before the rest of the Voltron Force even noticed.

Allura stood before him, her hands bound behind her back, her helmet tossed aside, and her hair mussed.  Lotor smiled at her, giddy with the knowledge that he had her and her precious Voltron Force could do nothing about it.  She was completely his.

"You're pathetic," she snarled.  

With a grin, Lotor waved a guard over, "Take her to the holding cell and secure her.  I will deal with her later."

With her head held high, Allura went with the guard.  She wasn't worried.  She knew Keith would find her.  It was just a matter of time.

***********************************************************

"You find anything yet?"

Keith looked up from the videophone he was using to contact neighboring planets and Garrison outposts to see Lance standing beside him.

"No, no one has seen her or any sign of Doom.  They are all keeping an eye out for them and will contact us if they find anything."

"She'll be fine," Lance whispered.  "We'll find her."

"It's been nearly four hours, Lance, and we have no sign of Allura or Lotor," Keith stood and rubbed his neck.  "I think we should go to Doom."

"But Pidge said there was no response."

"I know, but we might be able to find something."

"What's the plan?"

"You and I are going to investigate Doom, Hunk and Pidge will stay here and wait for word."

Lance nodded slowly, he would have gone to the ends of the Universe and back if it meant finding Allura and bringing her back safely.  "When do we leave?"

"Ten minutes."

**********************************************************

Allura tried to move her shoulders, but her wrists were shackled to the wall straight out to the sides and slightly above shoulder level.  Her upper back was sore and starting to cramp up while her arms were going numb.  

She had tried to take in her surroundings, but there were no windows and the only light was a small sliver that slid in under the door.  Whenever someone walked past, the shadows moved across the floor and Allura tensed with apprehension, but no one came in.  She had no idea how long she had been in there, it was impossible to guess how much time had passed.  But she wasn't worried, Keith was coming.  He would not just leave her here, he was on his way.  She was sure of it.

The door opened and Allura raised her head to see Lotor sweep in.

"Princess, how are you?"

"Just fine," she croaked.

"Good, good, glad to hear that."  He crossed the room to stand in front of her.  "I hate seeing you shackled up like this."

"Then let me go."

"Oh, I would love to, but I believe it is in my best interest to keep you under control for now."

"You will never have control over me."

Lotor smirked, "You are so feisty.  I like that about you, but I'm afraid it will get tiresome after a while.  Once you see that this is it, you're mine now, we will break you of that."

"This is not it," Allura hissed.

"You think your precious Voltron Force is coming to get you?"  He chuckled and then lowered his voice, bringing his face within inches of hers.  "They don't know where you are.  They cannot get through our cloaking device to get a signal on you and we aren't going back to Doom.  If, and I mean if, they are able to ever find you, it will be too late."

She swallowed painfully, "You're lying."

"Am I?"  He brushed his lips over her cheek, noticing the shiver that ran through her.  "I would never lie to you, Love."  He gripped her chin in his hand and held her in place while mashing his lips against hers.

Using the only weapon she had, Allura bit down on his lip, tasting the coppery flavor of blood.  Lotor growled with rage and whipped his head back while Allura turned her head to the side and tried to spit the taste of him from her mouth.  Stars flooded her vision as pain screamed in her head when Lotor struck out and slammed her head against the stone wall.

"Don't ever try anything like that again," he snarled, wiping at the blood on his lower lip.  "Next time, I won't be so kind."  With that, the Prince of Doom whirled on his heel and stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Left in the dark, frustrated and in pain, Allura let her sore head fall forward as a whimper escaped her lips.  "Keith."

***********************************************************

"It's completely deserted," Lance said as he circled around the castle on Doom.

"No, not completely," Keith corrected.  "There are some slaves still around, which makes me think Lotor is planning to come back at some point."

"She's not here, Keith."  
  


"I know."

"Let's head back and see if they've found anything."  
  


Keith pulled back on Black and they flew up and away from Doom.  He knew Allura wasn't there, but he had to try.  He had to do something before he lost his mind.  Where was she?  Deep down he knew she was still alive, if she was dead, he would know it.  He shook his head, he could not let that thought enter his mind.  She would be fine, she had to be.  Not just for him, but for Arus.  What would happen to her planet, her people, if anything happened to her?

"Keith?"

"What Lance?"

"How are you holding up?"

"How do you think?"

"Lotor isn't that smart, we'll find her."  
  
"But he has the witch."

"And we have Kadmus."

Keith nodded, "But can he do anything?  He hasn't come forward to help."

"Maybe he's waiting for us to come to him."

"I'll talk to him when we land."

Keith and Lance entered Castle Control to find Kadmus waiting for them.

"You wanted to speak with me, Captain?"  The wizard asked.

"We need your help," Keith said desperately.  "Allura's been gone for six hours now, every second she's gone she's in danger.  Is there anything you can tell us that might help?"

Kadmus nodded slowly and leaned heavily on his walking stick, "The anger has grown.  She was taken by the Prince of Doom."

Keith nodded, "We figured as much."

"He will not kill her."

"But he will hurt her."

"She is strong."

Keith's mouth fell open, "I know she's strong, but that doesn't mean we sit on our hands and wait for him to hurt her!"

"You misunderstand me, Captain.  Yes, he will hurt her, you know that and that is what is upsetting you so."

Keith ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, "Yes it is, among other things.  And the longer he has her, the more he will hurt her."

"He loves her."

"No he doesn't!"

"Yes he does, just not in the same way you do."

Keith opened and closed his mouth, wanting to say something but not knowing what.

Lance hurried over to the main console to see what Hunk was doing and to get out of what was about to turn into a very private conversation.

"She will be hurt, but she will survive.  I have seen your children," Kadmus said seriously.

Keith's face turned a brilliant shade of red, but beneath the frustration, anger, and absolute terror, was a pleasant feeling.  Their children?

"I cannot tell you where she is because I do not know, Captain, they are hidden behind very powerful magic, Haggar's magic.  But don't give up, you will find her."


	19. Six Days

Allura didn't bother to lift her head when she heard the door open. She didn't know how long she had been shackled to the wall. At first, Lotor made sure she had water and some kind of oatmeal type gruel. As she continued to be insolent, he took away the food and then the water. She no longer had feeling in her arms or shoulders, her back ached terribly, and her knees sagged under her weight. Her head throbbed and dizziness made the room swim around her.

Every so often, Lotor would come in to taunt and tease her. This time he came in to tell her that they had not heard from the Voltron Force, they had given her up for dead.

Allura dragged her dry tongue across her dry lips, feeling them scrap painfully together. "I don't believe you," her voice was barely a dry whisper.

Lotor caressed her cheek, noticing how she no longer flinched at his touch. "I don't care if you believe me or not, your precious Captain Keith has no idea where you are, he is not coming."

Allura raised her eyes to glare at him.

"Oh, I've heard you cry out for him in your sleep. Even if I could not have you, I would never let a worthless pilot have you."

"He is ten times the man you are," she whispered.

She grunted as his fist came in contact with her stomach.

"Don't make me do that, Princess. I've tried to be nice to you, I've treated you with respect, but that got me nowhere. I will break you, you will be mine."

"I would sooner die."

Lotor grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her head painfully back, "Be careful what you wish for."

Reaching deep into her waning strength, Allura curled her lip in disgust, "You sicken me."

"Do I?" He gripped her chin in with his hand, mashing his lips against hers. With his other hand, Lotor ran his hand down her side and then up over her breasts. The look of fear and revulsion in her eyes only deepened his desire for her. Right now, he could take her in every way he ever dreamed. This could be it, his turn, he could have her. The excitement had him licking his lips and raking his gaze up and down her body, ignoring the dirty, torn flight suit and the various bruises she had sustained. In his mind's eye, she was clean and beautiful, wanting him as much as he wanted her.

Allura felt the bile rise in her throat and she fought to keep it down.

He dropped her chin and used both hands to stroke her body. His fingers felt her firm body and imagined she was enjoying this as much as he was.

Lotor jumped back as Allura heaved painfully and watery vomit shot from her mouth. He watched, disgusted, as the Princess dry heaved. "Is this what you want, Princess? To be chained to the wall, sick and filthy? I can have you cleaned and feeling better within moments."

Allura let her head lull to the side. She felt terrible and disgusting. All she wanted was a long hot bath, to get out and wrap herself in her thick robe, and curl up in her bed. For a moment, she considered Lotor's offer, but she also knew he would take it to mean something more. Keith would come for her. But did she really want Keith to see her like this? She shook her head.

"No?" Lotor sounded surprised. "You are more stubborn than I had thought. Well, think about it. I can have you cleaned up and healed, fed and watered, and given clean clothing. A warm, dry bed. You have been her for almost four days, Princess, did you realize that?"

Allura didn't respond.

"Four days, in all the time that the Voltron Force has been on Arus, has it ever taken them this long to find you? No? Because they've given you up for dead."

Allura took in what he said. Was he right? She had no way of telling how much time had passed. Where were they? She was so tired and dizzy and weak. Maybe…maybe it would be a good idea to let Lotor take her down. Maybe she would be able to find a way to contact Castle Control.

Without a sound, Allura slowly nodded her head.

"Does that mean you want to get out of here?"

She nodded again.

"So be it," Lotor spun around and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

* * *

Keith stood in the shower, his arms braced against the wall, hot water rained down over his skin. It had been four days and they still hadn't found her. He was slowly going out of his mind with worry. Where was she? They were keeping up a constant watch over the board, waiting for any signal from her. The Garrison had been sending patrols out to search, but they hadn't found anything. There had been a couple of false leads, but nothing that helped.

He lifted his head up, the water rushing over his face. Over the past four days, he had had a total of about five hours of sleep, caught in snatches and naps. He was surviving solely on coffee and a bite here or there of the sandwiches that Nanny forced on him. It all seemed to get in the way, sleeping, eating, everything else was getting in the way of finding her.

Wrenching the knob to the right, Keith stepped out of the shower and began to dry off. He brushed his hair back, noticing his need to shave, when his communicator went off.

"Whitaker."

"We got a signal, Keith!" Pidge shouted excitedly.

"Where?"

"It's coming from the Walerin Galaxy."

Keith pulled his shirt over his head, "I'll be right there."

When he reached Castle Control, Pidge and Koran stood over the console. The only sound was the faint beeping coming from the radar.

"What have you found?"

Pidge looked up at the Captain and smiled softly, "It's faint, but it's a signal from Blue."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Walerin, that's, uh, nearly two days away."

Pidge nodded.

"What are we waiting for? Sound the alarms, I want us in the air within five minutes!"

"Yes, sir."

As he had expected, Sven ran into Castle Control with the others. Keith hurried over to him, "Sven I have a huge favor to ask you."

"Vhat can I do?"

"I need you to go with us. I don't know if Allura will be up to flying Blue and we need to get her back."

Sven nodded.

"Go ahead and tell Romelle, but come right back, we're going to be in the air in four minutes."

"No problem, Keit."

* * *

Two guards entered Allura's cell and removed the shackles from her wrists. She immediately pitched forward, too weak to support her own weight. One of the men carefully lifted her and carried her into a beautifully decorated room and laid her on a plush four-poster bed. She was in and out of consciousness, too weak and tired at this point to care what happened.

Women, probably from Lotor's harem, came in to bathe and dress her. Her wounds were cleaned and bandaged, her dislocated shoulder was set, and she was tucked into the bed.

Hours later, Allura woke with a start, startled by her surroundings. A light was on low and she took in the room around her. It was done all in deep maroons and golds, giving it a warm, homey feel. Using her uninjured arm, she pushed herself up into a sitting position, the room spinning around her as dizziness swept over her. She hadn't had a thing to eat or drink in days and it left her weak.

A shuffling noise caught her attention and she turned her head to discover the source. "Who's there?" Her voice was dry.

"You're awake," came the reply. A small woman, not much older than Allura herself, stepped over from where she had been sitting on a small seat in the corner. "His Excellency told me to stay with you and alert him when you woke."

"What's going on?" Allura brought her hand up to her throbbing head and tried to force down the feelings of nausea that arose.

"His Excellency ordered you brought here, to be cleaned up."

Allura looked down at the gown she wore, it was a warm, cotton night gown that covered her from throat to ankles. "Who…"

"We did, Ma'am. Don't worry, His Excellency didn't want to honor you with his presence until you were feeling better."

"Honor?" Allura asked sarcastically.

The young woman nodded. She was smaller than Allura, maybe even younger, her hair was dark brown and hung limply around her face. Her eyes were a dull brown as she studied the Princess and her stance was one of submission. She wrung her hands and kept her head low, only raising her eyes.

"Would you like something to eat or drink, Ma'am?"

Allura was going to turn her down, but her stomach rumbled loudly.

"I will bring you broth and tea. It's important for you to build up your strength." The girl shuffled from the room.

As soon as the door slid shut, Allura pushed the covers back and got to her feet. Her entire body was sore and tired. Her right arm was in a sling to immobilize her shoulder and her head throbbed and spun. Pushing all that aside, she crept to the door. There was no handle and she felt the smooth metal, trying to find a latch. Finally, she found a keypad, but it continually denied her access. With a groan of frustration, she shuffled around the room, looking for more lights to turn on and to try and familiarize herself with her surroundings.

It was a small, single room with the elaborate bed, a small bedside table, and the chair the girl had been sitting on. That was it. No window and only one door. Allura sat on the edge of the bed and bit her lip to stop it from trembling. Where was Keith? Lotor had said it had been four days, and that was before she had fallen asleep. How long had she been here? Where was here? Where was Keith? What if he didn't come? What if Lotor was right? Did they really think she was dead? In two years, the longest that Lotor had ever had her was eight hours. What was taking so long now?

The door slid open and the girl walked in, carrying a tray, followed by two guards. There went Allura's fleeting thought of over taking the girl.

"You shouldn't be up," the girl said, setting the tray on the table. "Lay down, you're still weak."

Allura complied, too tired and scared to so anything else. She sat up against the headboard, supported by the pillows.

"This is just broth and tea, it isn't much, but when you're feeling better, we'll bring you more food."

Allura looked down at the stone bowl of golden liquid and the cup of greenish tea. Her stomach rumbled and her mouth watered. She craved nourishment.

The girl watched eagerly as Allura devoured the sparse meal.

"Now rest. If you need anything, the guards will be just outside the door," the girl cleared away the tray. "I will be back to check on you."

"Wait," Allura yawned. "You're leaving me alone?"

"You're safe."

"Who are you?"

"Nadia."

Allura nodded slowly and felt her eyelids grow heavier, "Where am I."

"You're safe," the girl repeated.

* * *

"How far out are we?" Keith asked, checking his navigation computer.

"About twenty hours," Pidge replied.

"What's the plan?" Lance asked.

"We get Allura back. I don't care what we have to do, just get her out alive."

"The signal is getting stronger," Hunk commented.

"Are ve sure she is still vith Blue?" Sven asked.

Keith shrugged, "It's all we have to go on, right now, Sven. Let's hope so. Are you sure you're up for flying?"

"Vhatever it takes to get her back, Keit."

* * *

Allura sighed and smiled softly. A hand gently stroked her cheek, it was a loving touch and she reveled in it. "Keith," she murmured.

Her eyes flew open as the once loving hand came in contact with her cheek in a stinging slap.

"Lotor."

"That's the name I want to hear." The Doomian Prince smiled sweetly and went back to caressing her face.

"Don't touch me," she muttered. Her head was clouded in a thick fog and when she tried to slap his hand away from her, she realized she couldn't move. "You tied me down."

"No, my dear Princess, you are totally free," his finger traced her check and down her throat.

She blinked and found it hard to keep her eyes open, "You drugged me," she slurred.

"That is such a nasty way to put it," he purred. "I prefer to think of it as calming you down."

"Please don't" she pleaded quietly.

"Don't what?" His finger traced the throat of her nightgown.

"Don't touch me."

"Are telling me your Captain hasn't touched you?" When she didn't answer, he continued, "I find that hard to believe. You're a very beautiful woman. Maybe he has touched you, you just didn't mind as long as it was him."

A silent tear slid from her eye and into her golden hair, "Please, Lotor, don't."

"I had hoped," he said as he pushed the blanket off her still body. "That the first time I had you, you would be a more active participant."

Allura tried to push him away, but her body felt like lead. She couldn't lift her arms, kick her legs, or even turn her head. "You will pay for this."

"What? When your precious Voltron Force arrives? They don't know where you are. It has been six days, they have left you for dead. You are mine now." He lowered his face to hers, kissing her limp lips and down her cheek.

The tears flowed more freely.

He either didn't notice or didn't care that she was crying or that her arm was in a sling, or the way he was carelessly bumping her cuts and bruises.

"I originally wanted to save this for our wedding night," he continued as he slowly undid the tiny pearl buttons of her gown. "But I would come in here while you slept, you slept for a whole day, between your exhaustion and the drug, you just didn't wake. I would come in here and watch you sleep and I would think about what it would be like to sleep with you every night and wake with you every morning. And then I realized that I needed you, just to touch you."

Allura closed her eyes and tried to pretend it was Keith lovingly caressing her, unbuttoning her gown.

"Open your eyes."

When she didn't, he slapped her again, hard. "I said, open your eyes. I want you to see me."

With tears flowing, she fluttered her eyes open.

Lotor stopped undoing the buttons just above her breasts, "I've had many women. Do you know who my favorite was? Your cousin. What was her name, um, Ronnie, Romi, whatever, it's not important. Did you know she was a gift from my father? Her father had given her to us and my father gave her to me, hoping she would take my mind off you so we could concentrate on the task at hand, getting Voltron. Any way, I would call her Allura, she hated that. At first she cried, but as time went by, she stopped crying. I lost some interest in her then, I don't really know why, I guess I just liked watching her cry, call me weird, but it turned me on." He dipped his finger under her nightgown, feeling the gentle swell of her breast.

"I don't know what happened to her, she was always insolent, and then she stopped exciting me, so I had father get rid of her. I assume she's dead now."

The thought that Lotor didn't know Sven and Romelle were alive entered into Allura's foggy mind. They're safe, she thought, he doesn't know.

"Keep your eyes open," Lotor snapped again.

"I can't," she whispered.

"I told Haggar not to use too much of the drug, I wanted you awake, alert."

Allura closed her eyes, hoping he would take the hint and leave. He didn't. She could feel his fingers brush against her skin as he slowly unbuttoned her nightgown.

Please no, she thought. Make him stop, please. "Keith help me."

When Lotor heard her whisper, he slapped her face again, harder than before. "You will forget him," he hissed, slapping her again.

Lotor looked up when he heard the sounds of running feet. A hand pounded on the door.

"What is it?" He shouted.

"Please, Your Excellence, there are ships approaching," a timid voice replied.

Lotor stood and stopped briefly to look down at the half-naked woman lying on the bed, "I'll be back."

A small sigh of relief escaped Allura's mouth. She wanted to reach up and close the gown, but her arms were still useless. "Come on," she whispered. "I can do this, its mind over matter, I can do this." Using as much strength as she could muster, she was able to lift her thumb. Tears of frustration filled her eyes and slid into her hair.

* * *

"We've followed the signal to this planet," Pidge called.

"I see something," Lance shouted excitedly. "Over there, an old stone building."

"There are ships," Hunk pointed out.

Keith nodded grimly, "Let's go get her."

* * *

"What's going on?" Lotor asked Haggar.

"They've come."

"Who?"

"Voltron you fool."

Lotor snarled, "Shoot them down!"

"With what? We aren't on Doom, we don't have the weapons here that we have there. You were so confident in your hiding place that you didn't plan for attack," the witch hissed.

"What about your magic? Can't you do something?"

"I have done what I can, the rest is up to you."

Lotor whirled to the guard behind him, "Gather the men, we are about to be invaded by four men…"

"Five," Hagger interrupted.

"Fine, five men. We can defeat them. Shoot on sight and keep them away from the Princess."

* * *

From the air, the Lions shot and destroyed the ships Lotor had parked around the building. Guards fired harmlessly at the Lions, watching their lasers bounce off the giant metal cats.

"Sven, I think you should stay here with the Lions." Keith instructed as he touched down.

"I can fight, Keit."

"We can't chance you being injured again."

"How vill I get Blue?"

Keith sighed, "Fine, stay low and behind us."

While they discussed this, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge had already left their Lions and were busy fighting back the soldiers who had come to fight.

"We've got you covered, Cap!" Hunk shouted, surprised at the small number of Doom soldiers they were fighting.

Keeping low, Keith and Sven ran toward the crumbling castle. His year and a half away, did not seem to have an effect on Sven's marksmanship. He shot down three soldiers as they ran.

They found a door guarded by only two soldiers. Once inside, the two men hurried down the hall, surprising three more guards. Keith shot them down, but not before Sven was grazed on the leg and he was shot in the arm.

"Vhere do ve find her?" Sven panted.

"I don't know," Keith shot a soldier in the leg and ran over to him, training the gun on his head. "Where is the Princess?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," the guard groaned.

"Yes you do," he pressed the muzzle against his head. "Where is she?"

"My loyalties are with His Excellency and Doom."

Keith used the butt of the gun to knock the man unconscious before turning to Sven, "What do we do?"

* * *

Allura lay silently and listened to the shuffling outside. There were shots fired and men yelling.

"I'm in here," she said, her voice low. She was so tired.

"Allura!"

"Keith," she whispered. Hope sprang inside her. Was he really here?

More shots were fired, but she couldn't muster the energy to get up or respond. She slipped quietly into unconsciousness.

* * *

**AN:** Evil, aren't I? Well, the fact is, I am going to be out of town for the next four days, so I will not be able to update. Sorry. I will update as soon as possible, Sunday night at the earliest, Monday at the very latest.

Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews! I really do appreciate it and they really do motivate me. Thanks!

Failte


	20. Conversations On A Long Ride Home

Hi all!  
  


Thank you so much for your incredible reviews and patience.  I do have a laptop, I just didn't want to lug it half way across the country, especially since I already had my two carry-on bags ;-)

I didn't intend for this chapter to be this long or this fluffy, but I couldn't stop my fingers as they raced across the keyboard.  I guess I wanted to even out the darkness of the previous chapter.

I hope you enjoy it!

Failte

************************************************************

"Over dere!"  Sven shouted.

Keith was already ahead of him, running toward the door guarded by three soldiers.  They had spotted Lotor turning down that hall just ahead of them, "Lotor!"

  
The Doomian Prince didn't stop or look over his shoulder.  Haggar was supposed to be helping him, where was she?  Damn witch!  Shots were fired around him, he hissed in pain as one grazed his shoulder.  

"Dammit Lotor!  Where is she?"  Keith yelled, a few feet separating them.

Lotor didn't respond, his feet pounding the floor.  He drew closer to the room where the Princess was.  The three guards he had posted there all turned, weapons at the ready.  Two of the guards were shot down by Sven, the third fired, accidentally hitting Lotor in the leg.  Slowed by his injury, Lotor was tackled by Keith while Sven disposed of the last guard.

Pressing the muzzle of his gun against Lotor's skull, Keith hissed, "Where is she, you son of a bitch?"

Lotor swallowed, his leg throbbing painfully, "I don't know what you're talking about."

Keith pulled back his fist and slammed it into the smug, lavender face of his enemy.  "I will kill you."

~I'm in here~

It was barely a whisper, but Keith heard it.  He raised his head, "Allura!"

~Keith.~

Again, it was just a whisper, barely audible.

  
"Keit?"  Sven asked, worriedly, watching as his friend whipped his head around.

"She's here," Keith said, getting off Lotor and rushing over to the door.  "Allura!"

No answer.

He ran his hand over the door, slamming his fist on the keypad.  He turned, Sven had his weapon trained on Lotor.  "Open the door."

Lotor remained silent.

Sven prodded him with the gun.

"Open the fucking door!"  Keith shouted.

Lotor raised his gaze and stared defiantly at the Captain.

Keith pulled back his arm and hit Lotor square in the face, sending the man backwards, hitting his head on the stone floor.  

"Captain!"

"Over here, Lance!"  Sven shouted as Keith tried opening the door.

"Hunk open it!"  Keith demanded desperately.

The big man ran over.  Taking a Leatherman tool from his belt, he popped the cover off the board.  Cutting and crossing a few wires, Hunk stepped back when the door slid open.

Keith raced in and fell to his knees when he saw her.  "Oh God."

Allura was laid out on the bed, the blankets pushed down to her knees.  Her nightgown was spread open, leaving her essentially topless, her body covered in cuts and bruises, her arm in a sling and pushed back to the side in what looked like a painful angle.  Her skin was a faint yellow color, her lips cracked and dried blood pooled in the corner of her mouth.

He found some solace in the fact that she was unconscious.  Hoping she was unaware of what had happened to her, Keith crawled over to the bed.  Relief swept through him when he saw the slow rise and fall of her chest, she was breathing, she was alive.

The others turned, embarrassed for the Princess, seeing her in this condition.  Lance and Hunk stood outside the door, keeping watch, while Sven and Pidge stood just inside the door to back them up.

With shaking hands, Keith pulled her nightgown together and wrapped the blanket around her.  She was limp in his arms as he carefully lifted her and cradled her to his chest.

Lance looked up as he approached the door, "Keith…"

"Don't talk to me right now."

"What should we do with asshole, here?"  Lance nudged Lotor's still body.

  
"Shoot him."

"Keit," Sven said tiredly.

"Fine, restrain him, tightly, wrists, ankles, mouth.  Drop him off at the Garrison outpost on Zettle, it's between here and Arus.  I'm taking Allura straight home."

"I'll go with you," Pidge said.  "You might need some coverage."

Keith nodded and turned to leave.  He stopped when he saw Haggar blocking his way.

"Where do you think you're going?"  She asked casually, stroking her cat.

All four men moved as one, surrounding Keith and raising their weapons.  They all fired at once, their lasers hitting the spot where Haggar had been standing a second before.

"Dammit!"  Lance swore and swung around, searching the hallway.

Both Haggar and Lotor were gone.  

"Go Keith!"  Lance shouted.  "We'll get Blue and contact the Garrison about cleaning all this up."

Keith looked down at the limp, beaten body of the woman he loved and nodded.

"I got your back, Cap," Pidge said, following Keith closely, his weapon in hand.

They raced back to the Lions, Keith's injured arm throbbed, but he ignored the pain.  Two Doom soldiers laid their weapons down when Pidge turned his blaster on them.

"Let Lance deal with them," Keith muttered through clenched teeth after Pidge had disarmed them.

It was a struggle for him, but with Pidge's help, Keith was finally able to secure Allura in the fold down seat in Black's cockpit.

"You alright to fly?"  Pidge asked, watching Keith slap a bandage on his arm.

"Yeah," Keith assured him.  "We've got a long trip, let's get a move on."

"Yes sir."

Within seconds, the two Lions were in the air.  Keith contacted Castle Control and told them they had the Princess and were heading home.

"Have Dr. Gorma standing by, she's, uh, she's pretty beat up."

Koran nodded grimly, noticing the way Keith's voice cracked, "Call us when you get closer."

"We will."

"Be careful, Captain."

Keith nodded and closed the connection.

He flipped on autopilot and turned to look at Allura.  Her head hung to the side and her hands lay limply in her lap, her wrists red and raw where the shackles had cut into her skin.  The blanket he had wrapped her in was starting to fall.  With shaking fingers, he did up the buttons of her nightgown, feeling embarrassed for her and afraid to touch her.

With a quiet gasp, Allura's eyes fluttered open.  "What's going on?"  She murmured, slurring her words.

"It's okay, honey, we're going home," Keith whispered, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek.

"Keith?"

"Yeah, Allura, it's me.  We're in Black, we're going home."

A tear slid down her cheek, "L-Lotor said you wouldn't come.  He said you left me for dead."  
  


"Oh no, honey," he lifted her face in his hands so she could see him better.  "I would never do that.  So help me, Allura, I will never give up on you, I will always come for you."

"He drugged me," she whispered, tears racing down her cheeks.  "I can't move."

Keith felt the rage rise within him as a painful lump formed in his throat.  "It'll be alright, Allura, I'll get you home and Dr. Gorma will fix you up."

"I like it when you call me honey," she muttered.

He smiled and kissed her gently on the forehead, "Rest, honey, and when you wake up we'll be on Arus."

Her eyelids lowered slowly.  Keith grabbed a jacket he had stowed in a compartment behind his seat and rolled it up, placing it carefully between her head and her shoulder, supporting her head.

It was a quiet ride, Keith would frequently reach over and grip her hand or stroke her cheek, just to assure himself she was still there.  Three hours into the trip, Lance contacted him to report they had found Blue and that they had turned the Doom soldiers over to the Garrison officials.

"Sounds good," Keith's voice was hoarse with exhaustion and emotion.  "How's Sven holding up?"

"Like he never stopped flying, how's the Princess?"

"He drugged her.  She woke up a while ago and told me she couldn't move, I'm hoping Dr. Gorma can take care of her."

"I'm sure he can, Cap, he's the best."

"Yeah, he is.  Keep me posted on your progress."

"Will do, Keith."

After closing the connection Keith glanced over and saw Allura watching him with heavy lidded eyes.

"Hey, beautiful," he whispered, taking her hand.  "How're you feeling?"

"Very weak," she murmured.  "I…I think it's starting to wear off, my whole body is tingling, kind of like when your foot falls asleep."

"Don't push yourself."

"How much farther do we have to go?"

Keith looked at the onboard computer, "A ways."

"Keith."

"About forty hours."

Her eyes widened, "What?"

"Lotor had you in the Walerin Galaxy, that's over forty hours away from Arus."

Allura shifted her gaze and looked around the cockpit.

"I'll get you back as soon as possible."

"I know, I just…" she stopped when her left arm jerked.

Keith watched helplessly as her muscles began to spasm.  "This could be good, it means it's wearing off."

Allura closed her eyes, feeling her arms and legs jerk, "When will this stop?"

"I don't know, do you want to call Dr. Gorma?"

She shook her head, her body had stopped jerking, but was now shaking.  "Why did he do this?"

Keith sighed, "I don't know, honey.  He's evil, I don't think we could ever understand why he does what he does."

Allura pulled the blanket tighter around her, "I still feel weak, but at least I can move."

He ran his hand up and down her arm, feeling her tremble beneath his touch, "That's good, it's wearing off.  How are you, really?"

"Really?  I'm weak, but I'm okay.  Do you have anything to drink?"

Keith swiveled his seat and opened a compartment that held a canteen and some food.  "Here, it's water.  Are you hungry?"

She shook her head but greedily drank the water.

"Careful Allura, that has to hold us until we get back."

"Sorry," she swiped the back of her hand over her mouth.

"That's alright," he flashed her a reassuring smile.

"Well, we have a long trip ahead of us, what should we do?"

"I think you should try and rest, you've been through a lot and I don't want you to push yourself."

He watched as Allura pursed her lips and glared at him, her cheeks darkening.

"What is it?"  He asked.

"You don't know what I've been through, Keith."

"Do…do you want to talk about it?"

"No, not right now, I just don't want you to tell me what I should be doing."

"Sorry," he muttered sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.  "It's just that, well…I'm worried about you."

"I'm not going to fall apart, Keith, I'm…I don't know, I'm so glad to be away from Lotor and safe with you."  She took his hand in hers.

"These have been the worst six days of me life, Allura," he whispered.  "If anything had happened to you, I honestly don't know what I would have done."

Without saying a word, Allura released his hand and unbuckled her seatbelt, "Do you have autopilot on?"

Keith nodded.

With some awkward maneuvering on her still shaky legs, Allura perched herself on his knees, "I think we were discussing some kind of law before we were interrupted by Lotor."

Keith wrapped his arms loosely around her waist, "Do you really want to talk about that right now?"

"When he had me shackled up, I had a lot of time to think," she laid her head on his shoulder as he tightened his arms around her.  "I went over it in my mind how we should word it."

"Allura, I don't think now is the time to think about this."

She tilted her head back so that her mouth was beside his ear and breathed, "Thinking of you was the only thing that kept me from losing my mind and giving up hope."

Keith closed his eyes and stroked her hair as she laid her head on his shoulder.  It felt so good, so right to be holding her.  She settled against him, breathing in his scent and gathering strength from his nearness.  Pushing aside the coldness and fear that had come with Lotor touching her, Allura relished in the warmth and comfort that came with Keith's touch.

"Are you in any pain?"  He whispered after several moments of silence.

"I can handle it."

"I have pain pills in the first aid kit, I just need to…"

"I don't want you to move right now."

Keith smiled, "That sounds just fine with me.  So, what else were you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about you, us, our future."

"And what did you come up with?"

Allura tilted her head back to look up at him, "I want to be with you for a while, just date.  I've…I've never had a boyfriend before and I want to enjoy it."

He captured her lips in a gentle kiss, "That sounds like a great plan."

"I kept imagining you would like that idea."

"Oh yeah?"  Keith raised his eyebrows.  "What else did you imagine?"

"That you would burst into the room and rescue me, which you did.  And you would take me in your arms, like you are doing now, and then you would kiss me."

He did.

With a contented sigh, she settled her head against his shoulder again, "So, are you going to ask me?"

"Ask you what?"

"Ask me for a date."

Keith chuckled, "I thought that was implied."

"Well, you know I'm going to say yes, but I would still like to be asked."

"If you're going to say yes, why should I have to ask?"

She traced the patch on the chest of his flightsuit with her finger, "Because I've never been asked out before."

"What about all those Princes?"

"I've had a few marriage proposals and some guys showing interest, but I've never been asked out on a real date.  Why are you making such a big deal out of this, if you don't want to go out with me, you don't have to."

"Don't be silly, of course I want to.  Allura, would you please do me the honor of joining me for some kind of a date?  I don't really know what we would do yet, there isn't a movie theater or any restaurants, but I'll come up with something."

"No, thank you."

Keith tensed, "No?  What do you mean no?"

Allura giggled, "Of course I will!"

"You tease," he whispered, digging his finger into ribs.  
  


She laughed and squirmed, but quickly stopped when he accidentally came in contact with a tender bruise.

"Oh, geez, Allura I am so sorry.  We were kidding around and I forgot how hurt you were, I am so so sorry."  He gushed, pulling his hand back, suddenly afraid to touch her.

"Keith, it's alright, really."  She repositioned herself, curling up closer to him.  "I'll have to get Romelle to help me pick out what to wear."

"May I suggest something in pink?"  Keith whispered into her ear.

"That's not funny."

"I thought it was."

"You would," she yawned.

"Maybe you should move back to your seat and rest."

"Nah, this is a lot more comfortable.  But if I'm too much for you…"

"Never," he tightened his arms around her again.  "I could never get tired of holding you."

"I am so glad you came for me," she whispered after a few moments of silence.

"Of course I would come for you, I will always come for you."

Swallowing hard, she admitted, "I was scared Keith, he had had me for so long and…"

"And what?"

"He, uh, he said I had been unconscious for over a day, I, uh, I don't know what he did while I was…"  She trailed off, scared to voice her concerns.

"Oh God," Keith whispered burying his face in her hair.  When he spoke again, his voice shook, "We'll have Dr. Gorma examine you, he'll find out if Lotor did anything."

Allura shuddered, "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," he vowed.

She sat upright suddenly and looked at him, "Keith, what about the transfer?"

"What?"

"The transfer you put in for with the Garrison."

He closed his eyes and groaned, "I totally forgot about that."

"How do you forget about something like that?"

He opened his eyes and looked at her, "I've kind of had other things on my mind lately."

Biting her lip, Allura brought her hand up and brushed her fingers over his cheek, tracing his jaw, "You need to shave."

"You don't like my 5 o'clock shadow?"

"On you?  No.  You're too handsome to hide your face behind a beard."

Keith blushed slightly.

"What about your transfer?"

"I'll write to Col. Wilhelm and see if I can retract my request."

"And if you can't?"

"I'll figure something out."

She laid her head on his shoulder again and closed her eyes, "How much longer do we need to go?"

"It's a long trip, Allura, why don't you try and get more sleep," he suggested, stroking her hair.

"Can't you make Black go any faster?"

Keith chuckled, "Honey, Black is the fastest ship in the universe.  In any other ship, the trip would have been about seven hours longer."  
  


"I just want to get as far away from Lotor as possible," she mumbled.

"I know, honey, I know."

She was quiet for a while and Keith felt her breathing slow.  He brushed the hair off her face to see her eyes closed and her face peaceful.  So beautiful, he thought.  And for some reason, she likes me. 

*************************************************************

Keith had dozed off.  He jerked awake when he felt Allura move and heard her gasp quietly.  She was having a nightmare. 

"Allura," he whispered.

"Mm mm," she whimpered.  "No, please, Lotor, no."

"Allura," he raised his voice slightly.  "Honey, wake up, it's a nightmare, you're okay."

Her eyelids fluttered open and she jumped slightly, "What's going on?"

"You were having a bad dream."

She sighed and shifted on his lap, Keith groaned as she came in contact with a rather sensitive spot in his anatomy.  If Allura had heard him, she ignored it.  Somehow, she had turned so her back was against his chest and her legs covered his.

"Are you okay?"  Keith whispered, resting his chin on her shoulder.

She nodded and scanned the onboard computer in front of her, "Still over twenty hours."

"I know this is a long trip, we can stop somewhere if you want to get out and stretch."

"I would like to, but I really just want to get home."

"How do you feel?"  Keith asked, gently snaking his arms around her waist.

"I'm alright."

"Allura," his voice warned as he kissed her neck.  "Do you want the pain pills?"

She nodded slightly, "I ache all over."

With one arm wrapped around her waist, holding her to him, Keith groped under his seat with his other hand.  He pulled out the first aid kit and set it on the fold down seat Allura had vacated earlier.  

"Keith," she whispered after popping the pills into her mouth.  "You're, uh, you're hurting me."

"Oh sorry," he loosened his arm around her waist, not realizing how tightly he had been holding her.

She relaxed against him, "Tell me about your family."

"Huh?"  He was surprised by her request.

"We have a lot of time and I realized I don't know as much about you as you do about me."

"Okay, well, I'm the middle of three, I have an older brother, Gerald, he's an insurance adjuster, I don't really know what that means, but he seems to enjoy it.  My sister Dana is still in school, she wants to be a teacher, and my mother works in a woman's clothing store."

"I'd like to meet them," Allura whispered.

"I'd like you to meet them."

They passed the time sharing stories of their childhoods.  Allura was amazed at how different his life had seemed, football practice, school, friends.  He never attended balls or had to entertain the children of visiting dignitaries.  Keith's family had thrown backyard bar-b-ques, not elaborate parties for hundreds of people.  He hadn't been homeschooled, he had gone to public schools before attending the Academy.  His life fascinated her while he thought it had been quite boring.

Their conversation was interrupted by a beeping that indicated an incoming message.

"That will be Koran," Keith whispered.  "I don't think he should catch you sitting on my lap."

"Don't open the visuals," Allura responded.

Grinning, and feeling rather devious, Keith opened the audio only line of communication, "Whitaker."

"Captain?"  Koran's voice filled the cabin of the Lion.  "Is everything alright?  I don't have any visuals from you."

"Really?"  Keith quietly kissed Allura's cheek.  "That's strange, I'll have Hunk check it out when we get back to Arus."

Koran couldn't help but notice how much more relaxed Keith sounded.  "You haven't checked in in a while, Captain, I wanted to make sure everything was alright."

"Yes, Koran, it is, we're still on course."  Keith replied, trying to ignore Allura who had taken his hand in hers and was kissing his fingers.

"How is the Princess?"

Keith squeezed her gently, letting her know she should answer.

"I'm alright, Koran," she told him.  "I'm tired and a little sore, but more than anything I'm glad to be heading home."  She giggled softly when Keith pressed soft kisses to her neck.

Koran pursed his lips, anger coursing through him, the Princess was alone in Black with the Captain.  "Turn on the visuals, Captain, now."

Allura turned her head and kissed his cheek before reaching over and flipping on the visuals.

Koran clenched his teeth, "I believe there are two seats in the cockpit of the Lion."

Keith sighed deeply, but Allura stared back at her advisor defiantly, "The fold down seat is not very comfortable."

"This is totally unacceptable behavior, Your Highness."

"Koran, let's wait until we're back on Arus to discuss this," Keith said.  "We're both tired and Allura isn't feeling so well."

"I feel fine," Allura spoke up, still staring at Koran.  "I'm sorry, Koran, I didn't want to upset you or disappoint you, but I have to do what I know is right.  We have found a way around the law and we're going to do it.  I love Keith and I hope you can understand why I'm doing this."

Keith felt his heart stop.  Did she really just say she loved him?

"We will talk when you are feeling better, Princess," Koran's voice was stilted when he spoke.  "But if you are so willing to ignore what I say, there is really no reason for me to continue on as your advisor."

"No," Allura whispered.  "You don't mean that, I need you."

"You think you do, but you blatantly ignore my advice.  I am wasting my time and yours pretending you're listening to me."

A tear slid down Allura's cheek, "Please, don't do this Koran.  Don't make such a decision before we can talk about it, you owe it to the memory of my father to wait for me."

Koran nodded his head once, "Very well, Princess.  But I would suggest you two behave yourselves."

  
"Oh come on," Keith said angrily.  "You know we wouldn't do anything improper."

Koran glared at the two of them, "No, I don't know that."

Allura blushed a brilliant red, "We'll see you in a few hours."  She reached over and closed the connection.

"Are you okay?"  Keith whispered.

"Why is he doing this?"  Her voice broke.  "I need him and his help.  Why can't I just have this?  First I'm told that if I want to be with you, I have to give up my planet.  We find a way around that and now I have to choose between you and Koran."

Keith closed his eyes, feeling very guilty and tired.  "Maybe I should take the transfer, give us time apart, let Koran see how serious we are."

"No," her voice rose.  "I don't want to lose you too."  She turned on his lap so she was sitting sideways and could see him.  "I need you.  I am so sick and tired of this.  Don't go, promise me you won't leave me."

"I won't leave you," he whispered.  "I love you."

Without a word, Allura wrapped her good arm around his neck and buried her face into his shoulder.  She wasn't crying, but he could feel her shaking.

"We'll figure everything out," he continued.  "We'll talk to Koran, he's just upset now, once he calms down, he'll see this is right."

Allura turned her head and trailed kisses up his throat across his cheek and finally to his lips.  "Say it again," she demanded when they broke apart.

"Say what again?"  He asked, every coherent thought erased from his mind with her kisses.

"Tell me you love me."

Keith grinned at her, "I love you, Allura, with all my heart, with everything I am, I love you."

Allura smiled back with moist eyes, "I love you too, Keith."

He brought his hand up and cupped her cheek, "Do you know when I realized how much I loved you?"

"When?"

"I asked Kadmus to help us find you and he assured me that we would find you alive.  He said he saw our children."

Allura blushed and looked down.

"The thought of our children excited me.  I hadn't given any thought to the future, other than next week's schedule, I hadn't given any thought to getting married or having kids.  But when he said that, I…I don't know what I thought, Allura, but it felt right.  I knew it was going to happen and I wanted it more than I wanted to take my next breath."

Not trusting her voice, Allura slid her hand into his hair and pulled his head down, sliding her lips over his.  Keith deepened the kiss, pouring into it the intensity of his feelings for her, feeling her return the passion he felt.

"Allura," he gasped, pulling away moments later, breathless.  "Stop, we have to stop."

"Why?"  She breathed, sucking gently on his neck.

"Because we can't, not now, not here."

"I love you so much," she whispered, tugging at the zipper of his flightsuit.

Keith groaned quietly as his body responded to her touch, "Please stop, Allura, we can't."

She heard how strained his voice was when he pleaded with her and she stopped.  "I want to show you how much I love you."

He smiled softly and took her hand in his, gently pressing his lips to her raw wrist, "I know you do, honey, but this is neither the time nor the place.  We're letting these close quarters get to us, cloud our judgment, and we can't."

"I know you're right," she sighed and tugged the zipper back up.  "My shoulder hurts and I'm all bruised and ugly."

"Oh stop it, you're beautiful and you know it."  
  


"I just like hearing you say it," she teased, settling her head on his shoulder.  "So, did he say how many children we're going to have?"

"No, but we can ask him when we get back."

"How many do you want to have?"

"Two?"

"No, we need more than that, we have a huge empty castle we have to fill."  
  


Keith laughed softly, "Alright then, four?"

"Twelve?"

"What?  Are you crazy?"

"Fine," she sighed dramatically.  "Ten."

"Five."

"Eight."

"You really want a lot of children?"

"I want a big family," she told him.  

"Maybe we should plan a wedding first."

"I was thinking you should be planning our first date."

"Don't worry," he assured her.  "It will be a good one."

"Well, our first date is my first date ever, so I don't really have anything to compare it to."

"Good, that takes the pressure off me," he teased.

"I love you," she snuggled closer, cradling her injured arm to her chest.

He dropped a kiss on the top of her head, "I love you, too."


	21. A Change Of Heart

Hi all!

Wow!  Over 100 reviews…I don't know what to say.  Thank you so much!

RedLion2 ~ You were my 100th review!  That seems somewhat fitting :-)  Thank you so much for your support.  And to answer your question, I am actually half Irish and born and raised on the east coast of the US.  But that half of my family is a very proud Irish family and I am complete with red hair, pale complexion (that sunburns after 2 minutes outside), a quick temper, and the most common Irish surname in the world.  As a matter of fact, my screen name, Failte, is Irish Gaelic for "welcome".  And I love your comparison of the Force to the Musketeers, that seems so fitting.  All for one and one for all!

Black Knight 03 ~ I am so glad to hear you went back and read my other stories and enjoyed them.  I have had so much fun writing them and it means a lot to me that you all are enjoying them.

Craze, Queen Merla, Anony ~ Koran is just looking out for her, doing what he thinks is best…don't be so hard on the guy :-)

Dee, Nova Victoria Jade Satori ~ Thanks for your reviews, I am so glad you are enjoying the story and I hope you continue to do so.

Thank you guys!

Enjoy,

Failte

***********************************************************

_{{  "Oh, Allura, that's awful,"  Becca sighed.  "Was it Bhan?"_

_Allura nodded, "Dr. Gorma found traces of the Bhan plant in my blood.  It was enough to paralyze me for about 36 hours, but it took even longer for it to completely wear off."_

_"No, I want to know what was going on with Koran," Darcy said, leaning forward, her elbows on her knees.  "I've never known him to behave like that."_

_Lance rubbed small circles on her back with his hand, "Yeah, well, you didn't know him before Allura had words with him.  Our little Queen can be quite persuasive when she wants to be."_

_Keith smirked, "You have no idea."_

_Allura elbowed him in the ribs, "It was actually Nanny who persuaded him.  But Koran and I had a heart-to-heart while I was laid up in the hospital wing.  When I got back, Dr. Gorma had me stay in the hospital wing overnight for observation, then I was moved to my room for another day of bed rest."_

_"Were your injuries that bad?"  Becca asked._

_"Mostly bruises and cuts that would heal with time.  It was my shoulder that was bad, I had it in a sling for three days and it was sore for quite a while after that."_

_"What about Koran?"  Darcy asked._

_"Well, when I wasn't sleeping, Keith and I did a lot of talking on the way back.  Keith wanted to be with me when I talked to Koran, but I thought it would be best if I spoke to him alone.  It was mid afternoon when we touched down on Arus…}}_

"Allura," Keith whispered, brushing her hair from her face.  "Wake up, beautiful."

"Hmm?"

"We're home."

Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up at him, realizing just how exhausted he was.  "Will you rest?"

"What?"  He asked, confused by her question.

She sat up and stretched, "You look so tired, Keith, will you rest now?"

"Now that you're home and safe, I'll be able to sleep again."

"Good," she kissed his cheek and pushed herself up.

Keith reached out and grabbed her arm, catching her as she pitched forward.  "Take it easy, Allura, you're still weak.  Let me out first and I'll help you down.  Dr. Gorma should be waiting for us."  
  


"It feels so good to be home again," her voice shook slightly as Keith helped her down.

"I know, honey, I am so sorry it took us so long to get to you."

Allura yawned and leaned heavily against him, "Don't apologize for that, you did everything you could.  I know that."

Keith swept her up into his arms, "Man, you are slow."

"Not really, I just wanted you to carry me," she responded, wrapping her arm around his neck and kissing his cheek.  "And please shave."  
  


"Yeah, yeah, no need to nag."

"Oh, Princess!"

They both looked towards the castle to see Nanny running toward them.

"Nanny," Allura sighed.

"Oh, my dear girl, oh look at you!  Oh, how do you feel?  Are you in a lot of pain?  What did that monster do to you?  Oh, where is Dr. Gorma, he said he would be right here."  Nanny fussed and hopped from one foot to the other.

"Here he comes," Keith said.

Dr. Gorma raced through the door, followed by two nurses pushing a gurney.  

Keith gently laid the Princess on the bed.  Allura gripped his hand while Dr. Gorma did a cursory examination of her injuries and Nanny continued hopping and wrung her hands.  

"Let's get her inside," Dr. Gorma told his nurses.  "I want to do a full exam."

"Is she alright?"  Keith asked, jogging alongside the gurney, Allura still holding onto his hand.

"I'll be able to tell you better after I examine her," Dr. Gorma looked up at him.  "What happened to your arm?"

Keith looked down, having forgotten his injury, "Oh, I was hit."

"Keith," Allura gasped.  "I didn't know, why didn't you say something?"

"It's nothing, don't worry.  It doesn't hurt anymore."

"I want it looked at any way," Dr. Gorma said as they entered the hospital wing.  "Go see Nurse Helene."

"I want to stay with…"

"No," Allura interrupted.  "Go have your arm looked at."

They stopped in front of the examining room door.  "Are you sure?"  He asked her.

"Yeah, I'll see you when Dr. Gorma's done."

Keith leaned over and kissed her, "I'm here if you need me."

She smiled softly, "I know.  I love you."

"Love you too," he said, kissing her again.

They both choose to ignore the gasps of the two nurses and Dr. Gorma clearing his throat.

"You should have cleaned this better, Captain," Nurse Helen chided him as she pulled the bandage off his arm.

"I had other things on my mind," Keith muttered.

"I am so sick of you men saying things like that!"

Keith flinched as she cleansed his wound.

She continued, "You are trying to defend Arus and yet you don't take care of yourselves!  I know you haven't been eating or sleeping, how is that helping Arus?  The Princess?  The best thing you can do for this planet is to keep yourselves in good shape and stop pretending you're invincible."  
  


Keith sucked in a breath as she continued to clean out his injury, "Is it that bad?"

"You'll be fine, but I am going to put you on antibiotics to fight off any infection."

"Is that really necessary?"

"It wouldn't be if you had cleaned it properly the first time around," she muttered as she wrapped gauze around his arm.  "I want to see you tomorrow."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Now Dr. Gorma will be in with the Princess for a while, I would suggest you go clean up and then come back to see her."

Keith nodded and slid off the table, "Yes, Ma'am."

Nurse Helene handed him a small bottle, "Two a day with meals."

He nodded, "Thank you."

Nanny was sitting in a chair in the waiting area, wringing her hands and muttering under her breath, "My poor baby, my poor poor baby."

"Any word yet?"  Keith asked her gently.

"No, what happened to her?  Why is her arm in a sling?"  Nanny looked up at him with wide, worried eyes.

"She hurt her shoulder, I don't know all the details, she didn't want to talk about it."

"Oh, that…that monster!"

"She's home now, Nanny, she'll be fine."  Keith sat on the edge of the chair next to her.

"You're a good man, Captain," Nanny patted his hand.

Keith blushed at her sudden compliment, "Thank you, Nanny."

"You'll treat my girl well."

"She's the most important thing in the world to me," he whispered, staring at the small bottle in his hand.

"If you hurt her, you will have to answer to me, young man."

Keith raised his eyes to meet the glare of the older woman, "I would sooner die than hurt her."

"I want this tested immediately."

They both looked up when they heard Dr. Gorma's voice.  He was handing a vial of what looked like blood to one of his nurses.

Keith jumped to his feet.  "How is she, Doctor?"

"I'm still examining her, Captain, I'm not going to rush her.  Go, change, get cleaned up, we'll talk later."

Keith nodded, frustrated at the lack of answers he was receiving.

***************************************************************

Half an hour later, Keith walked into the waiting room to find Pidge and Nanny waiting.  There was no sign of Koran.

"Any word?"  Keith asked.

Nanny shook her head.

"I got the Lions put away, Cap, and Lance just called in, they're about three hours out."  Pidge reported.

Keith nodded and fell back into a chair, "Thanks, Pidge."

Dr. Gorma walked into the waiting room, holding a file.  "She's rather beat up and tired," he began before anyone could ask.  "The Princess is dehydrated and her shoulder was dislocated and then set.  In a few days she'll be fine.  I want to keep her in the hospital overnight for observation and then she can move to her room tomorrow."

"Can I see her?"  Nanny asked.

"Well, she asked to see the Captain."

Keith stood and hurried over to the door, but he was stopped when Dr. Gorma grabbed his arm, "She's tired, don't push her."

"I won't."

Allura was laid back on the bed, the blanket pulled up to her chest.  She was cleaned up and her hair brushed back.  Keith crossed over to the bed and felt his heart tighten.  She looked so tiny and pale but still so beautiful.

"Hey there," he said tenderly, pulling a chair over to the bedside.

"You shaved," she whispered.

He laughed quietly, "Yes, your nagging drove me to it."

"I don't nag."

He took her hand in both of his, "That's alright, I can listen to you nag for the rest of my life."

"Keith?"

"Hm?"

"Dr. Gorma said…"

"Said what?"  He whispered.

Allura's cheeks darkened.

"What is it, Allura?"

She looked away, unable to watch his reaction, "Dr. Gorma said, um, that Lotor did do, uh, when I was unconscious, he, uh…"

"Oh God," Keith lowered his head, overcome with pain and rage.  He didn't know if he was going to cry or throw up.

"Keith?"  Her voice shook.

"Are you okay?"  He asked, staring at the edge of her blanket.

"Dr. Gorma doesn't think he, uh, he went all the way, but he, uh, he molested me."

Keith swallowed hard, "I'm going to kill him."

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

He raised his head, "Don't you dare apologize."

She looked at him, her cheeks burning and her eyes wet.

"This wasn't your fault, honey, you have nothing to apologize for."  He gently stroked her cheek, wiping away the tear that fell.  "It'll be okay.  I promise."

"Have you decided where you're taking me for our first date?"

"Way to change the subject."

"I really don't want to talk about it, I just, uh, I just thought you should know."

He nodded, "It's a surprise."

"In other words you have no idea."

"As soon as you're feeling up to it, I'll take out on the town," he promised, kissing her hand.  "But for now, you're to rest."

"Is that an order?"

"Yes," he leaned over and kissed her, tenderly.

Allura smiled sweetly when he broke away, "It would be irresponsible of me to disobey an order."

"Yes, it would," he murmured, kissing her again and moving to sit on the edge of her bed.

Allura slid her hand from his and wrapped her arm around his neck, deepening the kiss.

"Wow," Keith whispered.  "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I've read a lot of books."

He chuckled and kissed her forehead, "I'm going to assume Nanny doesn't know about those books."

Smiling, Allura shook her head, "Nope, Lance's sister sends them to me."

"I can't seem to stop kissing you," he whispered, moving his lips from her forehead to her cheek to her chin to her mouth.

"I don't want you to."

"It's over two years of pent-up frustrations."

Allura giggled, "I thought you said you just realized how much you loved me."

"I've loved you for ages, I just realized how much."

"And how much is that?"

"With all my heart and soul, my golden-haired Angel," he whispered into her ear.

Allura turned her head and kissed his cheek, "I love you, Keith."

He lifted his head, "How much?"

"I don't think I could tell you how much, it's so big it sometimes scares me."

"Scares you?"

"In a good way."

Keith took her hand and sat up, running his other hand over her hair, "You need rest, Angel."

"I am tired."

"And once you're all rested, we'll have our date."

"Promise?"

"I promise," he stood, still holding her hand.

"Ahem."

They both looked up to see Koran standing in the door way.

Keith felt Allura's grip on his hand tighten.

"Koran," Keith greeted him.

"I came to see how the Princess was doing," Koran said stiffly.

"She's worn out and needs her rest," Keith told him defensively.

"It's alright, Keith," Allura pulled her hand from his and gently pushed him away.  "I want to talk to Koran."

He looked down at her, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, it's okay, go."

He leaned over and gave her a quick kiss, "I love you."

Since he had said it loud enough for Koran to hear, Allura knew he was doing it for the other man's benefit.  She smiled, "I love you, too."

Keith glared at Koran as he walked past, "She's tired, she needs to rest."

Koran met his glare with his own, but he kept quiet.

"We need to talk," Allura said as soon as the door closed behind Keith.

"How are you feeling?"  He asked, crossing to stand beside the bed.

"Tired, weak.  But I'll be okay."

"Good, I'm glad to hear you're going to be alright."

"Why don't you like Keith?"

Koran sank down on the chair Keith had vacated moments earlier, "I like the Captain."

"Then why are you so against us being together?"

"Have you really thought this through, Your Highness?"

Allura sighed angrily, "Yes, Koran, I have.  I am in love with him and I want to be with him for the rest of my life.  We have talked about this and have found that in times of war, I can write a law that allows us to marry."

"What happens if the Garrison reassigns him?"

"What do you mean?"

"He's a soldier, Princess, he can be reassigned, transferred.  Is that the kind of relationship you want?  He could be placed thousands of miles away."

"If that happens, we'll find a way to deal with it."

"So if he is sent somewhere, thousands of miles away, and you're left here to rule your planet and raise your children alone, you'll be alright with that?"

"I'll have Nanny to help with the children and you to help me rule," she replied lamely.

Koran nodded, "How do we know his intentions are honorable?  He is a young man and young men only have one thing on their minds.  You are a beautiful woman…"  
  


"Don't, Koran, you know Keith is not like that."

"You're going against hundreds of years of tradition."

"Just because it's been done for hundreds of years doesn't mean its right."

He shook his head, "You always were too independent and head-strong for your own good."

Allura took his hand, "Will you stay?"

"Princess, you have been like a daughter to me and it kills me to think you might make a mistake this big," he held up his hand to stop her from interrupting.  "But this is one aspect of your life that I have no right to advise over.  The Captain is a good man and the more I think about it the more I realize this isn't a mistake for you.  Nanny and I had a long talk while we were waiting for you to come home.  She pointed out how time and again the Captain has proven his worth to you and Arus, and that she approves of him.  If Nanny, who watches over you as fiercely as a bear looks after her cubs, can approve of him, I guess I can too. I just don't want to see you hurt, especially if he is transferred."

Allura blinked, fighting back the tears, "He won't hurt me, Koran."

"Just promise me you won't rush things."

"We're going to take it slow."

Koran nodded, looking older than he had just a week before, "I guess I can warm up to the idea of you marrying the Captain, even if he isn't a prince."

"It's just a title, Koran, in every other way, he is a prince."

He nodded, "I know you're right, Princess."

"I really love him."

He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "Rest, Princess, when you're feeling better, we'll rewrite the law."

"Thank you, Koran, so much.  I really don't know what I would do without you and your approval means so much to me."

"Yes, well I know he is a good man, but he still needs to prove to me that he is worthy of you."

"No, if anything, I need to prove I'm worthy of him."


	22. Finding Love In The Midst Of War

Hi all!  
  


Okay, so this is a fluffy chapter, but I had a bad day at work yesterday and what better way to combat that than to write a fluffy chapter.  This story is coming to an end soon, I can see it just ahead, and usually by this time I have already started planning and writing my next story.  However, I can't seem to come up with anything right now.  I was thinking about doing something with Sven/Romelle.  So to answer Black Knight 03's question, I don't know if there will be another story after this one.  I have had so much fun writing these and I don't want to end, but I'm afraid this well might be drying up.  If you guys want to throw some suggestions my way, I'll see if I can take one of your ideas and run with it.

Thank you for the wonderful reviews, I really do appreciate them all.

RedMirax~ I'm so glad you're enjoying my stories, and yes, I do have the freckles, more than I need :-)

RedLion2 ~ Your Shannon is such a great character, I can totally understand your strong pull to him.  It's probably similar to the pull I've developed with my Lance and Darcy, I just love writing for them.  It's funny, isn't it, the connection we have with the characters we create, but it's one of the fun side benefits of writing :-)

Craze, Anony, Black Knight 03, and Bell ~ Thank you so much!  You guys rock!

Enjoy,

Failte

******************************************************************************

Romelle stood anxiously beside Pidge and Keith, watching the three Lions descend on the planet.  It had been a long ride home and she was worried about Sven, it was hard on him to sit in one position for such a long time.

"Sven, put Blue in the work room," Keith instructed.  "I want Hunk to go over her, make sure she's clean."

"Yes, Keit," Sven's voice sounded strained and tired.

Romelle hurried to the door that led to the work room, not wanting to wait any longer than she had to to see Sven.

Blue glided down and walked slowly into the massive door connecting the work room with the meadow beside the castle.  The giant cat lowered itself gently to the ground and the hatch opened.  Chewing on her lip, Romelle watched as Sven slowly lowered himself to the ground.  He waved off the mechanic who came to help him as he limped toward the door, his face contorted in an angry grimace of pain.

"Oh, Sven," she hurried to his side.  "Are you okay?"

He grunted in response and allowed her to wrap an arm around his waist, supporting him as they crossed the room.

"Come on, let's get you to the hospital wing, I'm sure Dr. Gorma has something that will help with the pain."

"No, I just vant to lie down," he mumbled.  "How's Allura?"

"She'll be fine with rest.  I'm more worried about you, Sven, please talk to Dr. Gorma, there is no reason for you to suffer like this."

"I'll be fine, I just need to lie down."

Hunk and Lance were already in Castle Control, talking to Keith.

"Can we see her?"  Lance asked.

Keith shook his head, "In the morning, she needs to rest."

"But she'll be alright?"  Hunk inquired.

"Yeah, she'll be fine.  I want you guys to all go get something to eat and then get some rest.  The mechanics are going over Blue now, but first thing in the morning I want you, Hunk, and Pidge to go over her, make sure everything is as it should be."  Keith instructed.  He looked up when Sven and Romelle walked in, it was hard to ignore the fact Sven was in such obvious pain.  "You alright Sven?"

"_Ja_, I'm fine," he replied tersely.

"Don't be so stubborn," Romelle whispered.  "They only want to help, they care about you."

Sven pulled away from her, "I don't need dere help.  I'm going to find someting to eat."

She watched him limp away.

"Romelle?"

She looked up to see Hunk standing beside her and the others watching her carefully.

"He is just so stubborn sometimes," she said quietly.

"He's only been out for a couple of weeks," Lance pointed out.  "Dr. Gorma said he was going to need time to adjust."

"It's just…well, he's in a lot of pain and he doesn't want you guys to know," Romelle explained.  "I'm afraid he thinks he's letting you all down."

  
"Well that's just silly," Hunk told her.

"I know that, you know that, but Sven, well…" she trailed off.

"He'll come around," Keith assured her.  "If not, I'll take him out back and beat some sense into him."

She gave him a weak smile, "Thanks."

"Come on," Hunk slung an arm around her shoulders.  "Let's go get something to eat."

Keith watched as his team filed out the door.  They had been away for nearly four days and it had been clear, but he still wanted to go over all the information the guards on duty had put together.  It was really just unnecessary busy work, but he needed to keep his mind and hands busy.

The door slid open and Keith looked up to see Koran enter the room.  The two men stared at each other for a moment before Koran slowly crossed the room.

"I just spoke to the Princess."

"How is she?"  Keith asked stiffly.

"I didn't upset her, if that's what you're thinking," Koran sighed.  "I need you to try and see it from my point of view, Captain.  Princess Allura is like a daughter to me, the only family I have.  A group of young space explorers come to her planet, they are her first real interaction with men her own age and they sweep in to rescue her and her people.  I am not putting the Princess down, I am fully aware of how intelligent and strong she is, but she is very inexperienced in the ways of love.  She has never dated, she was put into a very important position at a very young age and she was forced to grow up quickly, skip over the things many young people get to enjoy.  How was I to know this wasn't just a silly crush?  Hero worship.  This was not a decision she could make quickly or lightly.  She is a romantic person at heart, she believes in happily ever after and white knights on horses.  Her father filled her mind full of such stories when she was a little girl, but unfortunately the King and Queen did not live long enough to teach her the realities of life, that was left to me and Nanny."

Koran paused and swallowed hard before continuing, "She is the most important person in my life and I only want what's best for her.  Princess Allura really feels you are what's best for her.  She says she is in love with you and you love her."

Keith nodded.

"It's really difficult for me to give her to someone else, to give someone else the job of watching over her.  But both the Princess and Nanny feel that you're the right man for the job and who am I to argue with two very determined women."

Keith smiled, "Koran, I love her, I really do, and I am willing to spend the rest of my life showing her how much.  I will protect her with my life and do everything in my power to make her happy."

Koran nodded and extended his hand, "I'm sure you do, but if anything happens, you'll have to answer to me."

Keith took his hand in a firm shake, "You're the second person to tell me that today."

"I'll assume the first person was Nanny and I think you have more to fear from her than from me."

Keith laughed, "Thank you Koran, your approval means a lot to both of us."

**************************************************************

"Lance, I need your help," Keith said, finding his friend alone in the kitchen.

"What?"  Lance asked through a mouthful of peanut butter sandwich.

"I promised Allura a first date and I'm not sure what to do, there isn't any place I can take her.  What do you do with your dates?"

Lance raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe that was the wrong question to ask."

"You know what has worked for me?"

"I'm not sure what worked for you will work for Allura and me."

"Have a little faith in me, Keith, I was thinking along the lines of a picnic.  Quiet, romantic, just the two of you."

Keith thought for a moment, "That's not a bad idea."

"Some romantic music, maybe some candles."

"I'll have to talk to Nanny, see what she can do to help me with the food."

"Nanny's alright with this?"

"I don't know what Allura said to her, but apparently she approves.  And Koran gave us his support as well."

Lance choked on his sandwich.

"No, really."

"When did that happen?"

Keith shrugged, "We talked, he had a valid point, but I think he's beginning to finally understand how Allura and I feel for each other."

Lance sighed, "You know, I can't help but feel a little jealous of you and Sven."

"Why?  You've never had a problem getting a girl to go out with you."

"To go out with me, no, but to find that special someone, I'm beginning to think that won't happen."

"You're still young, man, you have plenty of time."

"How will I know?"

Keith smiled and stood, "Don't worry, you'll know."

_{{  "Yeah, I knew," Lance said, pulling Darcy back so she was leaning against him.  "It hit me like a freight train."_

_"How come you didn't try to woo me with a picnic?"  Darcy asked._

_"Couldn't really find the time to do that.  I had to work so hard to get you to pay attention to me and when I wasn't doing that, I was visiting you in the hospital," he nuzzled her hair._

_"Smartass, the only way I could get you off my back was to get Dr. Gorma between us."_

_"You only did that to get my attention and to get me to wait on you."_

_"Whatever it took," she whispered huskily._

_"After hearing what Koran said, it's hard to be mad at him for putting up such a fight," Becca spoke up, trying to steer the conversation away from her sister and brother-in-law who were now making out on the couch._

_"Yeah, we should have known," Keith said, throwing a pillow and watched as it bounced of Darcy's head.  "Break it up, guys, show a little self-control.  Koran's a smart man, he wouldn't have fought us without a good reason."_

_"How was the first date?" Paton asked._

_"Wonderful," Allura grinned at her husband.  "But I always thought the picnic was your idea, now I know you got it from Lance."_

_"Keith isn't much of a ladies man," Lance explained, wrapping his arms tightly around his wife.  "I thought it would be alright to let you think he came up with it.  Whatever it takes to impress the lady."_

_"Well, I was properly impressed," Allura assured him._

_"You know, I don't think you and I ever really had a date," Darcy said._

_"Sure we did.  We got together all the time to watch movies."_

_"I mean a real date, where you would come and get me and take me out somewhere for dinner and dancing."_

_"We've gone out," Lance insisted._

_"Yeah, after Schuyler was born."_

_"You mean after Lotor was killed and Alforia was rebuilt."_

_"Why couldn't you have come up with something sweet and romantic like a picnic for the two of us?  Even Pidge took Becca out on a proper date when they first started seeing each other and Hunk and Paton went out all the time."_

_"The night you agreed to start seeing me, we were in town and when we all went back to Terra, we all went out."_

_"Group dates don't count!"_

_"Alright, enough!"  Becca interrupted.  "We are not here to hear you two argue about your screwed up relationship."_

_Darcy stuck her tongue out at her sister._

_"We want to hear about your first date," Becca told Keith and Allura._

_Allura smiled, "It was really sweet.  Keith came to my room the day after we got home…__}}_

Allura was feeling restless.  Dr. Gorma had allowed her to move back to her room, but she was to rest.  The guys had been wonderful, Lance had shown up with some movies, followed soon after by Hunk and Pidge with some board games.  Romelle came and went all day, just to check on her.  But there had been no sign of Keith or Sven.  Romelle had confided in her that Sven wasn't feeling well and he was spending the day in bed.

"He has work to attend to," Lance explained when she asked him about Keith.  "He was away for four days, he has some catching up to do."

Allura pouted, "I have work to do too, even though Koran won't let me do it."

"Because you need to take it easy," Lance chided as he rolled the dice.

He and Allura were playing a board game with Hunk and Pidge.  The game was spread out on her large bed with Allura sitting up against a pile of pillows and the guys were sprawled out around her.

"Yeah," Pidge piped up.  "Don't push yourself to hard, we need you."

She smiled sweetly at him, "I'll be fine."

"Not if you don't keep your strength up," Hunk pointed out.  "You're supposed to be drinking."

"But it tastes bad," she whined, wrinkling up her nose.

"It can't be that bad," Lance picked up the glass of juice on her bedside table and took a sip.  "Ugh, what is this?"

"It's some kind of juice that Nurse Helene said contains all the vitamins and minerals I need to build up my strength."

"It tastes like grass," he grumbled setting it back on the table.

"Do you eat grass often, Lance?"  Hunk asked.

"You'd be surprised what he does when he drinks too much."

Allura's face lit up when she saw Keith standing in her doorway.  "It's about time, I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me."

"Never," he crossed to the bed and pushed Lance aside so he could sit beside her. "How're you feeling?"

"Bored."

"Hey," Lance called with mock irritation.

"Well, not since these guys came to visit," Allura quickly corrected herself.  "I'm just sick of being in bed."

Lance wiggled his eyebrows at the two of them, "But there is plenty of fun you can have in bed."

"Alright, that's it, Lieutenant, leave, now," Keith pointed to the door.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lance stood.  "We can take a hint, come on guys."

Pidge and Hunk started putting the pieces of the game away while Lance stretched and avoided any work.  "Are we allowed to leave you two without a chaperone?"

"Yes," Allura smiled up at him.  "As long as you don't tell Nanny."

Keith slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her toward him.  With his other hand, he pushed her hair aside, cupped her cheek and brought her mouth to his in a sweet kiss.  At first Allura was shocked and quite embarrassed that he would behave like this in front of the guys, but she quickly forgot they were in the room with them.  She wrapped her arms around him and deepened the kiss, pulling Keith back against the headboard with her.

"Alright, alright!"  Pidge shouted.  "We're leaving."

Lance covered his eyes with his hands, "None of us want to see that, Captain."

Keith broke away from the Princess long enough to growl, "Then leave." Before returning to the task at hand of bringing a smile to his bruised love's face.

"That's one way to clear the room," Allura smiled as the door shut behind their friends.

"I tried subtlety, but it just doesn't work with Lance."

"I've missed you," she whispered, leaning her head on his shoulder as Keith turned and sat up beside her.

"I've missed you too, but I had some work to do."

"What is it?"

"Nothing much, it was clear while we were gone.  Blue is in good shape, Hunk couldn't find anything wrong with her and Sven said she flew beautifully."

Allura nodded, "Good.  How's the rebuilding going?"

"Well, that kind of fell to the wayside while you were missing."

She looked at him sharply, "We can't allow the rebuilding of the plant to fall to the wayside for any reason.  My people need their homes back."

"I know that, Allura, but getting you back was our top priority."

"No, rebuilding Arus is always our top priority, you know that."

"Maybe that's your top priority, but _you_ are _my_ top priority."

Allura smiled softly, "That's a sweet sentiment, Keith, but if you're going to some day rule with me, you need to understand that the people of Arus always come first."  
  


"Nah," he shook his head and tightened his arm around her shoulders.  "You can worry about that, I'll worry about you."

She rolled her eyes, "How about I take care of myself and we take care of my planet and my people?"

"Nope, sorry, I can't help myself," Keith brought his other arm up and hugged her tightly to him.  "But I didn't come here to argue with you."

"Why did you come then?"  Allura asked, leaning her head against his chest.

"I was wondering, Your Highness, if you weren't doing anything tomorrow night, if you would like to go out with me?"

A small smile crossed her lips, "Why Captain, I'll need to check my schedule."

"I'm pretty sure it's clear."

"But will Dr. Gorma allow me to leave my bed?"

"I spoke to him, everything is all set."

"What if I said no?"

"Then I'll go ask Euclida."

Allura tilted her head back to look at him, "Not funny, Keith."

He grinned down at her, "Is that a yes?"

"Where are we going?"

"It's a surprise."

"You still don't know where we're going, huh?"

"No, I have it all planned out."

She turned to wrap her arms around him and laid her head on his shoulder, "It feels so good to be here right now."

"I was just thinking the same thing," he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Do you wear cologne?"

"What?  No.  Where did that come from?"

"I always wondered, you smell good," she whispered, stroking his back.

"Why thank you, you don't stink yourself."

Allura laughed and looked up at him, "Was that a compliment?"

"I think so."  Keith brought his hands up to frame her face, "You are so beautiful."

"Now that's more like it."

Unable to stop himself, Keith lowered his mouth to hers, savoring the feel and taste of her.

"Princess, I was just talking to…ach!  Captain, what are you doing in here?"

They broke apart quickly when Nanny burst into the room.  "This is totally unacceptable!  You should not be in the Princess' room alone, if you are going to court her, you will court her properly."

Keith stood and winked at Allura, "I'll see you later, love, get some rest."

She stuck her bottom lip out and pouted, "Like I have a choice."

He leaned down so only she could hear him, "Don't worry, I'll make it up to you tomorrow night."

Allura smiled, "I'm going to hold you to that."

"I'll see you later," he gave her a quick kiss before turning to leave.

Nanny stood beside the door, her arms crossed over her chest and her foot tapping impatiently.

"We didn't do anything wrong, Nanny, we were only alone for ten minutes."

"You just behave yourself, Captain."

He saluted, "Yes, Ma'am."

******************************************************************************

"You'll want this one, trust me," Lance handed Keith a compact disc.

"What is it?"

"A collection of the most romantic music I own, trust me."

Keith rolled his eyes, "Fine.  So I have the stereo, the music, Nanny helped me put together some food Allura's allowed to have.  I set up the Observation deck and you guys are not to bother us unless it is an extreme emergency, got it?"

  
Lance grinned, "I got it."

"I don't know why I'm nervous, I mean she's told me she loves me and I know I'm madly in love with her, I shouldn't be this nervous," Keith wiped his palms on his pants.

"It's natural," Sven spoke up from where he was sprawled on Lance's bed.  "Romelle still has de ability to make me nervous just by smiling at me."

Lance snorted, "You are so whipped, man."

"You vish you vere vhipped, Lance."

"Hardly, I am loving my freedom."

"Liar," Keith muttered.

"Don't you have a date or something?"  Lance asked.  "Don't make me take my stereo back."

"How do I look?"  Keith asked, holding his arms out.

Sven studied his friend dressed in khakis and a red oxford shirt, "You look fine, Keit."

"You look pretty," Lance added.

Keith scowled at him. 

"Did I say pretty?  I meant pretty damn sexy."

Keith smacked him upside the head, "Alright, I'm going."

******************

"You look beautiful," Romelle breathed.

"Thanks," Allura muttered, standing from her vanity.  She wore a casual pink dress and her hair was pulled back into a thick French braid with a few tendrils escaping around her face.  She was still feeling weak, but nothing was going to keep her from this date.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sick to my stomach."

Romelle grabbed her arm, "Do you want me to get Dr. Gorma?"

Allura smiled and shook her head, "No, it's the good kind of sick to my stomach."  
  


"Ah, nervous."

"A little."

"How did we get here, Allura?  After everything we've been through, we've both been lucky enough to find wonderful men who love us as much as we do them."  Romelle sighed, sitting on the edge of Allura's bed. "I don't know what I would do without Sven."

"Keith is the most amazing man I've ever known, he makes me want to be more, to do more.  I know that he will help me build Arus back up to it's former beauty and he is such a good man, hard working, kind, smart, and funny.  My life is better for having known him."

Romelle raised her eyebrows, "Wow."

Allura bit her lip, "Yeah, that about sums it up."

A knock at the door caused Allura to jump.

"I'll get it," Romelle smiled as she crossed to the door.

Keith stood on the other side holding a single yellow rose, "Hello, Romelle, is Allura ready?"

"Why yes she is, Keith, I'll go fetch her," Romelle turned around to find Allura right behind her.  "And here she is.  If you'll excuse me, I have to go find Sven."  She slipped out past Keith.

"You look beautiful," Keith said looking her up and down.

"Why thank you," she replied pirouetting in front of him.  "I took your advice and went with something pink."

He held out his hand, "M'Lady, may I have the honor of escorting you to our little rendezvous?"

"Yes, you may, sir, thank you."  Allura laced her fingers through his and accepted the rose with her other hand.

"How was your day?"  He asked as they walked down the hall, ignoring the whispers and comments from passing guards and maids.

"Uneventful, although Koran finally brought me the reports on rebuilding.  I'm glad to see they've finished a couple of more houses.  I can't wait to get back into that."

"There's no need to rush, Allura."

"I know, but I want to be back in the thick of things, I want to have my hands on the rebuilding."

"I heard Koran say something about a meeting next week with the town planners."

"Oh yes, they're talking about building a theater and a library, I am so excited about that, we'll bring more in from other planets to further expand the education of our people.  The Observation deck?"

Keith grinned when they stopped outside the door, "Close your eyes."

Unable to stop the smile from spreading across her face, Allura closed her eyes.  She listened as the door slid open and allowed Keith to lead her into the room by the hand.  After the door slid shut behind them, she heard the quiet beeps as he entered the code to lock the door.

"Open your eyes," he whispered so closely she felt his breath caress her cheek.

"Oh, Keith," she whispered.

He had pushed the chairs back against the far wall and laid a blanket out on the floor.  Spread out on the blanket were plates of fruit and baked chicken with wine glasses of juice, all food on the diet Dr. Gorma had put her on to build up her strength and not upset her sensitive stomach.  Rose petals were sprinkled over and around the blanket.  Music played quietly and the room was lit by two small lamps and candles set out around the room.  The sun was just starting to set and it cast a romantic glow over the dimly lit room.

Allura turned to look up at him, "Keith this…this is amazing.  I…don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything, Angel, I just wanted to do something special for you."

"I like it when you call me that," she admitted, walking slowly over to the blanket, taking in everything he had done.

"It suits you," he said, following her.

They sat down on the blanket and the conversation came easily.  They shared stories from their youths, laughing at the stupid things young people do.  They steered the discussion away from his work with the Force and planet defense and away from all the work she needed to do, trying to keep it light.  For a couple of hours they were able to forget that she was the Princess of an injured planet and he was the Captain of a powerful Force and they were just a couple in love spending time together.

"You amaze me," Allura whispered as she sipped her juice.

"I haven't done anything amazing."

"You have no idea what you've done."

Keith met her gaze and everything stopped, they became wordlessly lost in each other.  Sky blue met chocolate brown and they saw something deeper.

Allura broke the trance, suddenly embarrassed under his intense scrutiny.  She picked up a stray pink rose petal and rubbed it between her fingers.  "I don't know if I ever told you how much I love those rose bushes, that was so sweet of you."

"I'm glad I was able to do it for you."

"Oh," Allura lifted her head when a familiar song came on.  "I love this song, I've heard Lance play it."

Keith stood and offered her a hand, "Care to dance, Princess?"

"Oh, you don't have to, I know you don't really dance."

"How do you know that?"

"I've never seen you dance, not even at the ball held for the princes."

"First of all, Allura, don't ever mention the princes to me again, and second, I was working, not socializing."

Allura took his hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet, "Sorry, Keith, I won't mention them again as long as you never again mention Euclida."

"Who?"  
  


"Exactly."

With a smile, Keith took her right hand in his left and laid his right hand lightly on the small of her back.  In all honesty, he wasn't much of a dancer, so they just swayed to the music.

"Didn't know I was so light on my feet, did you?"  He asked as he dipped her backwards until the tip of her braid touched the ground.

"You're full of surprises," she laughed.

He righted her and let go of her hand, wrapping both arms around her while she clasped her hands behind his neck and laid her head on his chest.  They stood like this in one spot, gently swaying.  The music was all but forgotten as Allura listened to his heartbeat beneath her ear and Keith felt her relax against him.

"Because you're sweet and lovely girl, I love you."

"Hm?"  Allura murmured.

"Sorry, it's an old song that popped into my head, it reminds me of you."

She tilted her head back and looked up at him with heavy lidded eyes, "How's it go?"

He shrugged, "I just remember the one line: Because you're sweet and lovely girl, I love you.  I'll have to ask Lance, I'm sure he knows what it is."  
  


"I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders and, even with everything that's going on, all is right in my world," she told him, staring directly into his eyes.

He brought his hand up and tugged on one of her curls, "I know what you mean, I was holding all this in for so long, it feels good to finally have it all out in the open.  I love you, Angel."

She laid her head back on his chest, "I love you too."

Keith gently stroked her back and watched through the window over head as the stars came out.  They now knew that Lotor and Haggar were back on Doom and Lotor was not happy.  Sven had become more withdrawn as he fought the demons that came with his memories and pain and Romelle continued to make excuses for him.  But right now, at this moment, all of that was pushed to the back of their minds.  He felt Allura lean more heavily against him and he smiled.  Yeah, everything was right with the world.


	23. It's All Fun And Games Until

Hi,

  
Thank you so much for your wonderful reviews.  I love writing so much and I am having fun writing these stories.  Anony said that my stories are like a therapy for her, well writing them is definitely a therapy for me.  I have come up with a few more ideas for this story and I will take into consideration the suggestions I have received from you guys.  It means so much to me to know that you are enjoying my stories.  Thank you for your thoughtful reviews!

Enjoy,

Failte

******************************************

Keith said good night to Allura outside her room and waited until the door was closed behind her.  It had been a great night, the picnic had been perfect and he knew he had surprised her, which was his real goal.  He had hoped to get her mind off of the horrors she had experienced at the hands of Lotor.  

Keith nodded to the guard he passed as he went back to the Observation deck, he had promised Nanny that he would clean everything up after their date.  He was pleased to see Allura had eaten, she had been picking at food over the past couple of days, and they were all worried that she wasn't getting enough to eat.  As he piled their plates he grinned to himself, remembering how she had laughed and relaxed with him. 

"Captain."

Keith looked up to see Kadmus standing in the doorway.  "Kadmus, how are you?"

The old man slowly limped into the room, leaning heavily on his walking stick.  "Oh, I'm alright, a little stiff, I do believe we'll be getting rain soon."

"We can use it," Keith said, folding the blanket.

"How did your evening with the Princess go?  If you don't mind my asking."

"No, it's alright.  We had fun.  It was nice to be able to talk about things other than the war."

"She's an amazing young woman," Kadmus said, sitting down on one of the chairs.  "She has her mother's beauty and her father's strength."

Keith nodded as he unplugged the stereo and wrapped the cord around it.

"I will be leaving in the morning."

"So soon?"  Keith asked, surprised.

The wizard smiled, "I've been here nearly two weeks, Captain.  I have cleansed the palace of the evil energy left behind by Haggar.  You should notice a definite change in the overall atmosphere within the castle."

"Thank you, Kadmus, for everything."

"I'm just glad I was able to help Alfor's daughter."

Keith cleared his throat and looked up at the other man, "You, uh, you said something to me a few days ago…"

"About your children."

"Yes, um, well, I was wondering, when?  How many?  Are you sure?"

Kadmus chuckled, "Yes, Captain, I am sure.  I don't know when exactly, but you will have a large family."

"Wow, Allura and I having a family.  I just seems surreal to think about.  I never thought this would happen."

"Oh it won't be easy, Captain, you still have a war to fight.  There will be many changes to come, but you will pull through it all stronger."

Keith crossed to the old wizard and offered him his hand, "I don't know if we can thank you enough."

Kadmus took his hand and stood, "If you ever need me again, do not hesitate to contact me."

"When are you leaving?"

"I'll be gone before any of you wake?"

"Why?  I'm sure Allura would want to see you off."

"I prefer to leave under the cover of darkness," he said cryptically.

Keith nodded, "I understand."

Kadmus stood, "Allow me."  He waved his hand and all the rose petals disappeared.  "You are about to win some big points, Captain."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll find out in the morning," Kadmus smiled and winked at him.  "Good night, Captain."

When Allura woke the next morning, she found rose petals sprinkled over her bed.  She smiled at the memory of the night before, feeling a pleasant thrill skitter down her spine.

**************************************************************

"So, what's the occasion?"  Lance asked throwing his feet up on the coffee table.

Keith and Allura had called the rest of the Force along with Sven and Romelle into the rec room and told them that they were taking the next day off.  It had been Allura's idea to go on a picnic by the lake.

"The rebuilding is going well," Keith told them.  "Lotor has been quiet for a couple of weeks.  What's not to celebrate?"

"And this," Allura pulled a parchment from her pocket and unfolded it, holding up for everyone to see.

"What is that?"  Pidge asked, squinting at the paper.  The only thing he could make out was Allura's big, looping signature on the bottom, above a red wax seal.

"It is _the law_," Keith said dramatically.

"De law?" Sven asked, perplexed.

"The one that says Keith and I can, uh, date," Allura grinned.

Lance held his hand out, "Can I see it?"

"What's it say?"  Hunk asked.

Lance cleared his throat loudly and read, "A royal lineage is no longer necessary in order to court and/or marry the ruling monarch of Planet Arus.  The law stated in Section 3C, Subsection 2, Part 1-A of the Arusian law books is null and void."

"Short and sweet," Romelle said.

"I have signed it and Koran has notarized it," Allura told them.  "It is official.  All we have to do now is have it officially placed in the law books."

"When do you go public with your relationship?"  Lance asked.

"We're going to wait a while on that," Keith explained.  "The people of Arus have a lot going on right now and we would like to try and build our relationship privately, not under the glare of public scrutiny."

"But my people have a right to know and we will eventually tell them, just not right now," Allura added.

Romelle grinned at her cousin, "I am so happy for you."

Sven and Romelle had been on Arus for over a month now and they were both growing healthier and stronger with each day.  They had both gained some weight and no longer looked gaunt, Sven was working with Dr. Gorma in the gym to build up his strength without doing further damage to his back.  Before long, Romelle was going to head back to Pollux, but she wouldn't go without Sven and so she was waiting until he was up to traveling.

"So be ready at eleven tomorrow morning," Keith told them.

"I'm going to help Nanny bake for the picnic, want to come?"  Allura asked Romelle.

"Uh, Allura, how much are you going to help?"  Lance asked carefully.

She stuck her tongue out at him, "Enough to learn."

"And I'm sure you'll do a great job," Keith slung an arm around her shoulders.

"Thank you, sweetie," she gave him a quick kiss.

"If we're going to go tomorrow, I would like to request no public displays of affection," Pidge declared.

"And vhat is wrong vith a little public affection?"  Sven asked before turning to Romelle and hugging her tightly, kissing her.

"There is such a thing as too much."

Keith grabbed Allura and dipped her back.  "I love you," he whispered before kissing her deeply.

"Looks like you're just going to have to get used to it, buddy," Hunk told Pidge.

"Ach, Princess really!  This is not the proper way to behave!"  Nanny stood in the doorway.

Keith stood, still holding Allura, still attached at the lips.

"Captain!"

Keith pulled back and grinned at Nanny, "Sorry, I couldn't help myself."

Allura knew she should have been embarrassed, but instead she was pleased and felt light-hearted.  "Come on, Romelle."

Romelle pulled herself from Sven's grasp, kissing him gently on the cheek and followed her cousin from the room.

_{{  "You never got over your dislike of public displays of affection," Becca teased her husband._

_Pidge shrugged, "There's a time and place.  Besides, there was a time when you couldn't walk down the hall of the castle without seeing Keith and Allura making out, or Lance and Darcy or Hunk and Paton.  After awhile it gets on your nerves."_

_"Oh, Pidge, you're exaggerating," Allura laughed._

_"Well, not about Lance and Darcy," Keith mumbled._

_"Hey," Lance spoke up.  "First of all, stop talking like we're not in the room.  Second, look at this woman?  Can you blame me?"  He kissed Darcy on the top of the head as she rested her head on his shoulder._

_"Alright, I'm going to be sick," Pidge scowled._

_"I think it's sweet," Becca whispered._

_Pidge rolled his eyes, but tightened his arm around her._

_"So if we were to go get the law books, we would find this law you wrote?" Paton asked, trying to get the topic back on track._

_"It was added to the books, but the law that we wrote and I signed is framed and hanging in our bedroom," Allura explained._

_"Really?  Can I see it sometime?"  Becca asked._

_  
"Of course.  That was actually a wedding present from Koran.  He made copies of it for the records and had the original framed."_

_"What a neat idea for a gift," Paton sighed._

_"Yeah, I love it.  It's something we can pass on to our children," Allura said._

_"But den ve tought you guys might not get de opportunity to use de law," Sven pointed out._

_"What happened?"  Becca asked, resting her head on Pidge's chest._

_"Ve had a visitor at de picnic…}}_

"Come on Lance," Pidge whined.  He was standing in the doorway to Lance's room watching his teammate dig in his closet for something.

"Just a second," was the muffled reply.  "I know it's in here somewhere."

"What are you looking for?"

"Aha!"  Lance jumped out of his closet triumphantly, holding a football.  "Found it."

"Sweet!  Come on, they're waiting for us."

Pidge and Lance raced down the hall, Pidge winning by about three inches.  The others stood by the door, Hunk holding the handle of a large picnic basket, Keith had a blanket over his arm and held Allura's hand with his other.

"It's about time," Sven teased.

"I had to find this," Lance tossed the ball into the air and caught it with one hand.

"What is that?"  Romelle asked.

"It's a, uh, fooseball!"  Allura said proudly.

Keith snorted, "Close enough."

"Football, Princess," Pidge told her.

"Come on," Hunk opened the door.  "Let's go."

"Oh, what a beautiful day," Romelle sighed as they walked out into sunshine and a slight breeze.

"I ordered it specially for today," Allura told her.

Keith scanned the sky and land surrounding the castle.  The buildings of Alforia were now visible from the castle grounds, the town was growing quickly as the people of Arus realized they were safe with Voltron.

"It's clear," Allura whispered to him.  "There has been no sign of Doom for a while now."

"But we must be vigilant," Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Sven all chimed.

"I've trained you well," Keith said proudly.

"Alright, who's playing?"  Lance asked, tossing the ball from hand to hand.

"I'm in," Hunk said, setting the basket on the ground beside the blanket Allura and Romelle spread out.

"Alright, Lance, Sven and I against Hunk and Pidge," Keith announced as he unholstered his blaster and set it on the blanket, the others following his example.

"That's not a fair game, two against three," Allura pointed out.

"No, it's fair," Lance explained.  "Hunk is so big it usually takes two of us to take him down and Pidge is so fast, he usually out runs all of us."

"Can I play?"

The guys all looked at her, unsure how to answer.

"Well, I guess if we make it a touch football game instead of tackle," Keith shrugged.

"No, come on, I want to play like you guys play," she whined.

Pidge threw his arm around her shoulders, "Alright, you're on our team, Allura, and we are going to kick their butts."

"Do you vant to play?"  Sven asked Romelle.

She shook her head, "No, thank you.  I think I'll watch this time since I have no idea what you're doing."

"Okay, gather round," Lance called.  "Our end zone is the space between those two trees over there.  Yours is between the tree and the bush over there.  We'll play to 28 points."

"Touch or tackle?"  Hunk asked.

"Touch."

"Tackle."

Keith and Allura spoke at the same time.

"What's the matter, Captain, afraid you'll look bad being tackled by a woman half your size," she taunted.

"No, more like I'm worried about you being tackled by a man twice your size."

"Oh, I can take it."

"Don't worry, Cap," Lance winked at her.  "We'll be gentle with her."

"Come on, let's play!"  Hunk clapped his hands.

"Just be careful with her," Keith told his team as the huddled.

"Oh for Pete's sake, Captain," Lance rolled his eyes.  "We're not going to hurt her."

"She's not going to break," Sven muttered.

"Let's go!"  Hunk yelled, his team already in formation.

"Bring it on!"  Lance roared.

"You're going down!"  Sven yelled at Pidge.

Keith winked at Allura.  She, in return, licked her lips seductively and blew him a kiss.  He raised his eyebrows.

"No!"  Lance interrupted their flirting.  "You are not allowed to distract him like that, Allura, that's playing dirty."

"Feeling threatened?"  Hunk asked.

"Oh will you just play already!"  Romelle called from where she was sitting on the blanket with her back against a tree trunk.

The six of them fell into formation, Lance won the coin toss and choose to throw first.  Sven ran in for a touchdown while Lance and Keith blocked.  It took all three of them to tackle Hunk down before Pidge ran in for a touchdown.  Allura couldn't help but notice how they continued to throw the ball over her head and make sure she wasn't tackled.

"Come on," she stood with her hands on her hips after twenty minutes of play.  "Why won't you let me have the ball?"

"You're just not catching it," Lance teased.  "Can't help it if girls can't play football."

Allura gasped, "Oh that is it!  You guys are going down."

"Alright, Princess," Hunk whispered as they huddled around.  "This is their last run, if you can keep them from scoring, the next ball is yours."

She nodded determinedly, "Got it."

Lance handed the ball off to Keith and then hurried over to help Sven block Hunk while Pidge and Allura chased Keith.  Taking a running leap, Allura attempted to tackle Keith.  She succeeded in landing on his back piggy-back style.  With her arms wrapped around his neck, Keith was slowed, but he kept going.

"Come on, Keith," she hissed in his ear.

"You wanted tackle football," he huffed.  "If we were playing touch football, I'd be out."

He felt her arms slid from around his neck, there was a thump and muttered oath.

"Ow, ow ow!"  
  


Keith turned to see Allura hopping on one foot, like she had injured her ankle.  He ran back to her, dropping the ball, "What happened?  Are you okay?  I knew you shouldn't play."

Instead of answering, she scooped up the ball and ran toward their end zone.  Keith stood stunned for a moment before taking off after her.  Pidge blindsided him, tackling him to the ground while Hunk blocked Lance.

"Touchdown!"  Allura yelled, hugging the ball to her chest and jumping up and down.

"That doesn't count!"  Keith yelled.

"Yes it does!  You fumbled the ball!"  Pidge called back.

"She tricked him!"  Lance pointed out.

"But he fell for it!"  Hunk laughed.

"Dat's playing dirty," Sven mumbled.

"I thought it was a rather ingenious," Romelle commented.

Keith jogged over to Allura where she stood beside the tree, still hugging the ball.  "That was low."

She grinned at him, "You should never underestimate a girl."

"That's 28 points!"  Hunk called.

"Let's play for another 14," Lance suggested.

  
"No, I'm hungry."

Pidge smirked, "Lance is just upset that they lost."

"And a girl scored the last touchdown," Allura taunted.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lance muttered, following the others to the blanket.

"I hate to admit it, but that was pretty good," Keith said, throwing an arm around Allura's shoulders.

"Oh, I know it was good," she pushed his arm off playfully.  "You're all sweaty."

"Hey that was hard earned sweat."

"Yeah, but it still stinks."

"Vhat do ve have?"  Sven asked, leaning back against Romelle while her fingers kneaded the stiff muscles of his back.

Allura sank to her knees beside the basket and flipped up the lid, "There are some sandwiches.  Peanut butter for Lance, some and ham or chicken for the rest of us, um, some fruit, here's some juice and then cookies."

"Oh, pass me a ham sandwich, please" Hunk held a hand out.

The gang sat in a circle around the basket, feasting on the food Nanny had packed, and talking.

"I can't believe you guys ever misbehaved in school," Allura said as the guys told stories from their Academy days.  "Well, maybe Lance."

"Hey, I had nothing to do with the flipping over of the vending machine in our dorm," Lance told her.

"What?"

"Late one night, a few of the gentlemen seated here, got hungry, but none of them had any money.  So they came up with the brilliant idea of taking the snack vending machine, flipping it upside down and having all the candy fall out, then they flipped it upright and took all the candy.  The machine was bolted to the floor after that."

Allura laughed, "Okay, I'm going to assume Hunk had a part in that, but who else?  Pidge?"

The young man shook his head, "Nope, I had nothing to do with that."

"But you did partake in some of the spoils," Keith pointed out.

"Keith," Allura gasped.

"What?  We were hungry, out of money, and, well, it was there."

"You and Hunk flipped over a vending machine?  Wasn't it heavy?"

"Yes, that's why Sven helped."

"But they did it without me," Lance pouted.

"I was still mad at you for flooding my room," Hunk told him.

"Wait, wait," Romelle interrupted.  "You flooded his room?"

"Well, not really, I mean it wasn't completely flooded," Lance explained.

"There were these huge plastic trashcans in the hallways of our dorm, about four feet tall and three feet across.  One day, Lance filled one of these trashcans with water and tipped it against my door, then he knocked and ran.  When I opened the door, woosh," Hunk spread his arms wide.  "A tidal wave of water into my room."

"Lance, why would you do that?"  Allura chided.

"Hunk wasn't totally innocent!  He penny locked me in my room the day before!"

"Penny locked?"

"That's where you take a bunch of pennies and jam them in between the door and the doorframe, jamming the door shut," Pidge explained.  "We had to take the door off by the hinges to get him out."

"You see," Keith turned to Allura.  "Hunk and Lance had a bit of prank rivalry during our third year."

Sven nodded, "Dey vere constantly trying to von up each other."  
  


"Why would you…" Allura stopped in mid question when Keith's communicator went off.

He flipped it open, "Whitaker."

"Captain, ships are approaching Arus, you should all return to the castle," Koran told him.

"Alright, we're heading in," Keith snapped the communicator shut while everyone else started gathering up the food.

Hunk picked up the basket while Lance took Sven's hand and helped him to his feet.

"Do you think it's Doom?"  Allura asked Keith.

He shrugged, "Don't worry, he won't get you again."

She smiled and took his hand as they headed up to the castle, "I know."

Lance and Pidge raced toward the castle, Lance convinced he could beat his teammate this time.  Hunk jogged after them, making sure Lance didn't cheat, as he was sometimes prone to do.  Sven and Romelle followed, Sven limping slightly, and Keith and Allura brought up the rear.

"Hold on a sec," Allura dropped to a knee to tie her sneaker.

Keith stood patiently beside her, his head tilted back, scanning the sky.  He pulled his communicator off his belt when it beeped, "Whitaker."

"It looks as though the ships have left," Koran told him.

"Any idea who it was?"

"No.  They seemed to hover just outside of our atmosphere, approached the planet and then left."

"Strange," Keith mused, offering Allura a hand to help her stand.  "I'm coming in now to check things out."

"Yes, Captain."

Keith attached the communicator to his belt and turned to Allura, "Looks like whoever was here is gone."

"Good.  We weren't expecting anyone and it always unnerves me when strange ships approach us," she confided.

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close, "Have no fear, my dear Princess, I will make sure you're safe."

"As long as you don't have to play football against Doom," she giggled.

Keith turned to look at her.  They were standing alone near the garden, the others having gone inside.  She smiled back at him flirtatiously.  "You just think you're so cute, don't you?"  He asked.

"Oh, I know I am, Captain."

He captured her chin between his thumb and forefinger, "You're lucky I think so too, or else you'd pay for that comment."

She fluttered her lashes at him, "What would you do?"

Keith laughed, he loved it when she was relaxed enough to be so goofy and flirtatious, "Something like this."  He lowered his head and captured her lips with his own.

"Wow, I'll have to try and annoy you more often," she sighed when he lifted his head.

"Come on," he took her hand.  "Let's head in.  I want…"

"What is it?"  Allura asked when he stopped.

"Shhh."  He shoved her behind him and unholstered his weapon.  "Run toward the castle, I'll cover you."

"What is it?"  Her voice shook.

"Go, Allura, now.  Tell Lance."

Without another word, Allura ran toward the castle as fast as she could.

"Who's there?"  Keith asked.

There was no answer.  He turned slowly, knowing someone was nearby, but he couldn't figure out where.  Scanning the garden, he heard a muted noise, creeping footsteps on the grass.  Before Keith could turn, a hand grabbed a fistful of his hair and a knife blade was pressed into his side.

"What makes you think you can have the Princess?"  A voice hissed in his ear.

"Lotor."

"She is mine," he continued, pushing the knife into Keith's side.  "I will kill you before I let you have her."

"Keith!"

Lance, Pidge, and Hunk raced toward them, their weapons drawn.

Lotor plunged the knife into Keith's side, feeling the flow of warm blood over his hand.  He pulled the knife out and pushed Keith forward before turning and running toward the woods.

Lance fell to his knees beside his fallen leader while Hunk and Pidge ran after Lotor.  Blood was flowing from the wound in Keith's side.  "Keith, man, stay with me."

At first the pain had been intense, now he was just tired.  "Allura."

"She's fine, Keith, she's in the castle, she's safe."

"He got away," Hunk said, running over.

"Come on, help me get him to Dr. Gorma, he's lost a lot of blood."


	24. Magic, Wards, And Suspicion

Hi all,

Just a quick note.  I was reading through this story and I noticed that somehow chapter 8 was replaced with chapter 16.  I have no idea what happened.  Well, I righted everything.  Chapter 8 is Chapter 8.  I hope this didn't confuse anyone.

Thanks for the wonderful reviews.  I really appreciate them.

All relative disclaimers apply.  Um, I own the plot and Darcy, Becca, Paton, all the little kids, and anyone else you don't recognize from the series.

Thanks!  
Failte

********************************************************************************

Keith lay in darkness and tried to figure out what was going on.  His entire body felt numb and tired, his mind was hazy, and his senses were dulled.  The only sound he heard was beeping.  That was when everything flooded back.  A sound, he sent Allura into the castle and then Lotor.

  
The beeping quickened.

A door opened and feet rushed in.

"Captain?  Can you hear me?"

Mustering up his strength, Keith forced his eyes open.  It took a moment, but he was able to focus on Dr. Gorma who was leaning over him.

"Captain, can you hear me?"

"Yeah," his voice was dry and hoarse.

"How are you feeling?"

"Dry, can I have a drink?"

Dr. Gorma stepped away and returned with a moistened towel.  He wet Keith's lips, "You can't drink just yet.  How are you feeling?  Are you in pain?"

"I-I'm numb."

"You're heavily medicated, Captain, the numbness will wear off.  We had to operate, you're a very lucky young man."

"What happened?"

"You were stabbed in the side, the blade went in at an angle hitting muscle and missing any major organs.  You're going to feel some pain for a while, but you'll be fine."

Keith furrowed his brow, trying to remember all that had happened.  "Allura?"

"The Princess is fine, although she is wearing a groove in the floor of the waiting room with all her pacing."

"No one else was hurt?"

"No, Captain, everyone else is fine."  
  


"How…how long will I be laid up?"

Dr. Gorma chuckled, "You will be in bed for at least a week and after that you need to take it easy.  You won't be back to full strength for about a month."

"But I have to…"

"But nothing, you are to rest, that is an order."

Keith shifted his eyes around the hospital room.  The beeping he had heard was the heart monitor attached to his chest, the window looked out over the dark sky.  "How long have I been here?"

"You came in about six hours ago."

"Can I speak to Lance?"

"You need rest and if I had my way you wouldn't have any visitors at all tonight.  But as it is, I don't think I can keep them out."

Dr. Gorma crossed to the door, opening it.  Keith stared at the pattern on the ceiling, listening to quick steps of his approaching friends.

"Oh, Keith," Allura gasped, racing to his bedside.  She leaned over him, inadvertently tickling his face with her hair.

"How are you?"  He whispered weakly.

"I'm fine," she assured him, caressing his cheek.  "How do you feel?"

"I'm not feeling much of anything right now.  I want to talk to Lance."

A look of hurt crossed Allura's face before she stepped away to let Lance take his place at Keith's side.

"Hey, man, what's up?"

"Did you get Lotor?"

"He got away."

"This is the second time he has gotten through our security, we have to find out how and fix it."

Lance nodded, "Don't worry about it right now, Keith, we'll take care of it, you just need to get better."

"He got in and injured me and we know he's after Allura, of course I'm going to worry about it.  I want a complete overhaul of our radar system and alarms.  Find the hole and seal it."

"Yes, sir."

"I want daily updates."

Lance looked at Allura.  She nodded her head toward the door, an irritated expression on her face.

"Yeah, sure, whatever you want.  Uh, Keith, I have to go tell the others how you're doing.  Let me know if you need anything."  Lance awkwardly patted Keith's shoulder and left the room.

Allura sat carefully on the edge of the bed and took his limp hand in her own, "You need to rest Keith, we will take care of all this."

"I want to know what's going on."

"I know you do, but you are on medical leave, which means no work.  You need to spend your time and strength recuperating, we need you."

"I'll be fine."

"I know that, but that will come with time.  Don't argue with me on this, as the ruling monarch, I outrank you and you cannot disobey me."

Keith clenched his teeth.  He did not like being ordered around like this.  Yeah, he was injured, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle.  

Allura noticed his expression and she smiled softly, "Don't be so difficult, Keith, you're too important."

He shifted his gaze to meet hers, "Will you stay in the castle?"

"Will you rest?"

He sighed, "Fine."

"Then I will stay in the castle," she reached up and brushed the hair off his forehead before bringing her hand down to cup his cheek.  "I love you."  She leaned down and gently kissed him.

"I love you too," he whispered.

"I was so scared when they brought you in," her voice shook.  "There was so much blood."

"I'll be fine, Angel."  Gathering his waning strength, Keith brought his hand up to stroke her cheek and cup the back of her head, bringing her closer.  

"I know, I'm just so happy to see that.  Please, promise me you'll take it easy, I don't know what I would do without you."

He winked at her, "You'll never have to find out."

She gave him a quick kiss and straightened up, "Get some rest, sweetie, I'll check on you later."

Keith grasped her hand, "Allura, I want to know what's going on."

"Fine," she sighed.  "I'll let you know what we find."

"Thank you."

************************************************************

"How's it going?"  Allura asked, walking into Castle Control a few hours later.

"We're running a scan, trying to figure out how he got in," Lance explained.

  
The rest of the Force, along with Sven and Koran, were hard at work.  Hunk and Pidge were seated at different consoles, running scans to find any misreads in the radar readings.  Koran and Lance were going over the logs, trying to figure out what happened when the ships had approached and then left while Sven interviewed the guards who had been on duty.

"I take it you haven't found anything?"  She asked, crossing the room to look over Lance's shoulder.

"There were three ships that approached Arus' atmosphere, they hovered for six minutes before taking off.  They took off roughly two minutes before Lotor attacked Keith."

"So whatever he did to get on Arus, he did in roughly eight minutes."

"Yeah," Lance looked up at her.  "How's Keith?"

"He needs to rest, but he should be fine.  He's very weak, but he's also very determined, we have to keep him updated."

Lance smirked, "Yeah, he won't give up on that."

"Do you think we should call Kadmus back?"  Hunk asked.  "This could be magical again."

Alura shook her head, "Kadmus put wards up around the castle so Haggar couldn't transport to the grounds."

Sven walked over, "He put wards around de castle?"

Allura nodded.

"How far out do de wards cover?  I mean, if de wards only cover de grounds den Haggar could have transported Lotor just outside the castle grounds."

Koran shook his head, "Kadmus said the wards stretched at least past Alforia, about 10 miles in all directions, the largest area he could cover.  It would have taken him longer than eight minutes."

"Unless he had some sort of transportation," Lance pointed out.  "You found no sign of him, Hunk?"

The big man shook his head, "No, no sign at all."

"This doesn't make sense," Allura murmured.

"Are ve positive dat de ships vere Doom?"

Koran shook his head, "We're assuming."

Lance scratched his head while he thought.  When Keith had been in surgery, he, Sven, Hunk, and Pidge had combed the area where Lotor had attacked.  They could find nothing, just the blood where Keith had been stabbed.  Lotor was gone, along with the knife he had used.

"We're going to double up on guards," Lance finally said.  "Get some rest guys, we'll do rotations and see what we can find."  He turned to Allura, "Why don't you turn in, it's been a long day. We'll let you know everything we find out."

She nodded.  It wasn't that she wanted to go to bed, but she could use this as an excuse to see Keith.

Lance noticed how easily Allura agreed to his suggestion.  "You're going to fill Keith in on what we found out, aren't you?"

"I'm sure he's still sleeping, but I'll go check on him.  If you find anything, I want you to contact me right away."

He nodded, "No problem, Princess."

*******************************

The only sounds in Keith's room were the beeping of the heart monitor and his shallow breathing.  Allura crept to his bedside and sat on the edge of the chair.  She watched as his chest rose and fell.  The blanket had been pulled up to cover his naked torso and the bandages wrapped around his stomach.  He was dreadfully pale and that worried Allura.  She took his hand in both of hers and watched him sleep.

The sight of him, being this close to him, made her heart race.  He was so strong and smart, kind and handsome, and he was hers.  The corners of her mouth turned up as she studied him.  He looked so young, so innocent and it only endeared him to her more.  He would go to the ends of the universe for her and she would do the same for him. They had to find out what had happened, how Lotor had gained entrance onto the castle grounds.

Allura brushed his hair aside and leaned forward to press a kiss to his forehead.   His eyes fluttered open and he looked up at her.

"Sorry," she whispered.  "I didn't mean to wake you."  
  


"It's alright," he murmured.  "What did you find out?"

"Nothing yet, we're looking into it."

"Have they searched the grounds?"

"Yes they did.  Don't worry, Lance is taking care of it," she told him, gently caressing his cheek.

"He just disappeared?"

"Well, we know that's not possible within the castle grounds, but that's what it seems."

Keith closed his eyes and Allura was sure he had gone back to sleep.  She stood to leave but stopped when she felt him tighten his grip on her hand.

"Keith?"

"Invisible," he mumbled.

"What?"

"What if he was invisible?"

"The wards around the castle wouldn't allow that."

"No, the wards keep Haggar from magically transporting Lotor to the castle grounds, but would they keep her from performing magic once they were in the castle grounds?"

Allura furrowed her brow, trying to remember back on what Kadmus had told her.  "I am going to try and contact Kadmus tomorrow, see what he thinks."

"That's a good idea."

*****************************************

"Allura," Lance hurried into her study the next morning.  "We just got a transmission from the Garrison.  The three ships were Garrison ships out on patrol, they had thought there was a distress call coming from Arus, but soon realized they were mistaken.  The Captain in charge didn't think to contact us until today."

"They weren't Doom ships."

Lance shook his head, "No, they weren't."

"So we're back to square one as to how Lotor got on Arus," Allura leaned forward on her desk.  "Has Koran been able to get in touch with Kadmus yet?"

"No, he's still working on it.  I was going to go fill Keith in, but I thought you would like to know first."

"I appreciate that, Lance, I'll come with you," she told him, pushing back from her desk and standing.  "You know, Keith said something to me last night that seems to make more sense now."

"What was it?"  He asked, stepping aside to let Allura out of the room first.

"He said something about Lotor being invisible, now just think about it before you interrupt me.  We know that the wards Kadmus put around the castle keep Haggar from transporting Lotor directly into the castle, but if he was put on the planet somewhere else and entered the grounds, maybe Haggar could perform some kind of spell.  That's why I want to talk to Kadmus, to see if the wards deflect all magic or just the transportations."

Lance nodded, "Keep in mind, Allura, that Keith was also heavily medicated."

She stopped and looked up at him, "I'm aware of that, Lance, but what other ideas do we have right now?"

He shrugged and opened the door to the hospital.

"Hi, Jewelia," Allura greeted the nurse at the desk.  "We'd like to speak with the Captain if he's awake."

"Dr. Gorma is in with him now, he should be done momentarily," the young nurse explained.

"Is everything alright?"

"The, uh, the Captain developed a bit of a fever, but Dr. Gorma doesn't think it's anything serious."

Lance and Allura exchanged worried glances.  With a shrug, Lance settled his muscular frame into one of the chairs set out for visitors while Allura returned to the task she had started the day before of wearing a groove into the floor with her pacing.

It was five minutes before Dr. Gorma left the room, surprised to see the visitors waiting.  "Ah, Princess, how are you?"

"How's Keith?"

"The Captain has developed a low grade fever, but he'll be fine.  He's coherent and alert."

"Can we see him?"

"For a few minutes, don't keep him up too long."

Allura nodded and opened the door to his room.  Keith was still laid back, looking much the same as he had the evening before.

"Hey there, how're you feeling?"  Allura asked, trying to keep her voice light.

He smiled, "Hey there yourself.  I feel…meh."

"Meh?"

"Meh."

"You always did have a way with words, Captain," Lance teased.

"Hey Lance!  What up, bro?"

"Keith, honey," Allura sat on the edge of his bed.  "How much medication are you on?"

"Just enough.  Have you guys found anything?"

Lance filled him in on the information they had received earlier.  
  


"Well that was just irresponsible of them," Keith muttered.

"Yeah, it was, they should have contacted us immediately."

"So we still have no idea how Lotor got here?"

Lance shrugged, "We're assuming he was transported to another part of the planet, outside the wards, and sneaked in."

"I'm waiting to hear from Kadmus," Allura added.

"Let me know as soon as you find something," Keith ordered.

"No problem, Cap, I'm going to head back to Castle Control and see what's going on."

Keith nodded, "Thanks, Lance."

A moment later, he was alone with Allura.  She reached up and touched his cheek, his forehead, feeling the warmth from the fever.  Keith sighed when her small, cool hand came in contact with his skin.  It felt good to receive such a loving touch.

"Dr. Gorma said you have a fever," she stated unnecessarily.

He nodded, "Yeah, he thinks it may have been a dirty knife.  He had cleaned the wound as best he could, but he's afraid there might be some bacteria that will cause an infection."

"That sounds serious."

"I've been on antibiotics to fight infection, so it shouldn't be too bad."

"We've doubled up on guards and Lance is having the rest of the Force and Sven and Koran on rotation.  I offered to step in, but he wouldn't let me."

"You have other things to attend to," Keith told her.  "We just don't want to add guard duty to everything else you have to do to run a planet."

"I understand, I just feel so useless."

"You're not useless, Angel, you're the most important person here."

She smiled and leaned over to kiss him, "I love you."

"I know," he winked at her.  "I love you, too."

"I was thinking about what you said last night, and I'm beginning to think you might not be that far off."

"What did I say?"

"About Lotor being invisible, well, maybe not invisible, but I'm sure Haggar had a part in getting him here."

"I think we can all agree on that."

"This is so frustrating.  Kadmus did all that he could, but there is only so much we can do as precautionary measures."  She sighed.

"With everything we've done recently, it is virtually impossible for anyone to break into the castle undetected, you're safe."

"But nothing is completely foolproof."

"No," he took her hand.  "But if you're careful and vigilant, you'll be fine.  Keep your communicator and blaster on you at all times."

"It's not me I'm worried about," she whispered, looking down at their joined hands.  "I'm going to have guards posted with you until you're up to fighting again."  
  
"I'm fine, Allura, I don't need a guard, we need them elsewhere."

"No, you're not fine and Lotor has shown us that it is now you he's after."

She watched his jaw twitch.  "Fine."

"Thank you," she kissed his cheek and stood.  "I want to go see if they've had any luck contacting Kadmus."

He nodded.

"I'll be back later.  I hope you feel better."

"Thank you."

She squeezed his hand before letting go and heading from the room.

**************************************************************

A conversation with Kadmus that evening did nothing to assuage their worries.  It was possible for Lotor to be transported to the planet outside the wards and then enter the castle grounds.  There was just no magic strong enough to completely prevent an invasion from Lotor.  He was determined enough to find a way in.

Kadmus offered to come back, but there was very little else he could do.

Allura sat in her study after speaking to the wizard and stared out her window.  'Why?' was the question that kept popping up in her mind.  Why was Lotor after them?  He had lost time and again, why wouldn't he just give up?  Why couldn't he accept the fact that she would never marry him and leave her alone?

A knock on her door interrupted her thoughts.

  
"Come in."  
  


The door slid open to reveal Lance with a paper in his hand, "Hey, Princess, how you doing?"

"I've been better.  What's up Lance?"

He held the paper up, "We just spoke with a man from the village.  He said he was in the woods yesterday hunting when he saw a hooded man going in the direction of the castle.  At first he didn't think anything of it since the man was wearing a cloak similar to ones worn by other villagers.  When he heard what happened to Keith, he thought he should come forward just in case it might help."

"Where was he?"

"The far northwest edge of the forest, about 3 miles out."

Allura sat back and thought for a moment.  "So, it is possible for Lotor to have been transported out near the ruins of Alum, that's about twelve miles north of here, and hike."

"That would have been quite a hike."

"Kadmus had said the wards only prevented direct magical transportation to the castle grounds, not other kinds of magic, so he could have had some kind of magical transportation."

Lance nodded, "I was thinking about bringing more men in for a while, get people in the woods.  We need to make it as difficult as possible for Lotor to get near the castle."

She nodded, "Well, I was wondering if we should contact the Garrison and see if we can get more soldiers."

"It wouldn't hurt."

"Alright, I'll do that first thing in the morning."

"Sounds good, Allura, just let me know what you need me to do."

"Thanks Lance.  I think I'm going to say good night to Keith and then turn in."

"Have a good night."

She smiled at him, "Thanks, you too."

Allura had stopped in to check on Keith earlier that afternoon, but he was sound asleep.  The phone call to Kadmus had taken a couple of hours and that was followed by supper and some paperwork.  The day just seemed to slip away unnoticed.

The hallway to the hospital wing was deserted and strangely quiet.  Allura felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise as a chill sent a shiver through her body.  Something wasn't right.  She quickened her footsteps, one hand on her blaster the other clutching her communicator.

When she entered the hospital, the only person to be seen was the guard posted outside Keith's room.  He was leaning against the wall, but he jumped to attention when the door opened and Allura entered.

"Your Highness," he bowed.

  
"Flitch," she nodded her greeting.  "Where are Dr. Gorma and the nurses?"

"Dr. Gorma went to get some supper, Nurse Helene went to the supply closet, and Nurse Jewelia is in the other examining room straightening up."

"How has everything been?"

"Fine, Princess, no problems."

"Thank you," she smiled at him.  "We appreciate your help."

"It's an honor, Ma'am."  He stepped aside to let her enter the room.

Keith was laying still, his fingers tapping the bed beside him.  When he heard the door open, a smile crossed his face, "Thank goodness, I have been going out of my mind with boredom."

"How're you feeling?"

"Great, I'm ready to get out of here."

"Okay," Allura stood beside the bed, her hands on her hips.  "Sit up."

"What?"

"If you can sit up I'll get Dr. Gorma to release you tonight."  
  


"Really?"

"Yup."

Keith took a deep breath, placed both hands on the bed and tried to push himself up.  His head was about six inches up when he gave a hiss of pain and fell back.  "Fine, point proven."

She smiled and sat on the side of the bed, "Don't be so stubborn."

Allura filled him in on everything that had happened, her call with Kadmus, the witness Lance had interviewed, and their idea to put guards in the woods.  She did, however, leave out the uneasiness she had felt moments earlier.

"Sounds like you guys have it all under control," he said proudly.

"Yup," she was holding his hand in both of hers, noticing how warm he still felt.

"Thanks for keeping me updated."

She let out a breath and leaned forward to rest her head on his shoulder, careful to not come in contact with his wound.  Keith brought his hand up and rubbed the back of her head.

"It'll be okay," he whispered.

"I know," she turned and kissed his cheek.  "Rest, we need you all better."

"You too, beautiful."

Allura lifted her head, feeling better just being close to him.  "Good night, Keith."

"Good night."

After sharing a few quiet kisses, Allura withdrew from the room, exhausted.  She was pleased to see Nurse Helene sitting at the desk in the waiting area.  They nodded to each other and the young princess entered the hall.  The uneasy feeling she had felt earlier was no longer there.  She passed two guards in the hallway and she could hear the normal noises of footsteps and voices.

Allura had just approached her room when the door to Romelle's room opened.  Sven walked out and turned to whisper something to Romelle.  She smiled and stood on her toes to kiss him good night.

Allura felt a twinge of jealousy.  She wanted that with Keith, but it seemed like every time they grew close something interrupted them.  What she wouldn't give for a normal life and a normal relationship.

Sven spotted her when he turned to leave.  His face turned a bright red.  He nodded to Allura and hurried away.  

Laughing quietly at his unnecessary embarrassment, Allura let herself into her room and couldn't help but notice how cold it felt.  She turned on the light and looked around.  The chill returned to her bones and the hair rose on her arms.  Someone was here.


	25. Strange Happenings

Sven hurried down the hall feeling embarrassed and foolish.  There was no reason for him to feel either way.  Everyone knew he and Romelle were together, he was more embarrassed about blushing than being caught with her.  He always walked Romelle to her room at night and sometimes, like tonight, they would spend fifteen minutes or so saying good night to each other.  A small smile flitted across his face as he thought of Romelle.  He never imagined he would meet a woman like her or that she would love him.  

Sven knew Lance was still up in Castle Control trying to figure everything out, so he decided to swing by the hospital wing and see how Keith was doing.  He was sure his old friend was going out of his mind with boredom.  Sven had just turned the corner when he heard what sounded like a blaster shot.  Grabbing his communicator, he dialed up Lance as he ran back down the hall.

"Lance!  I just heard a blaster shot, I tink it came from de Princess' room!"  Sven yelled when Lance answered.

"We're on our way, be careful, Sven."

He nodded and clipped his communicator to his belt, pulling his blaster from its holster.

"Sven?"

He looked up to see Romelle standing in her doorway.  "Stay dere!"

Of course she ignored him.  With his weapon in hand, he approached Allura's door.  "Allura?  Are you alright?  Can you hear me?"

There was no answer.

"Allura!"

Nothing.

"Stand back, Romelle," he commanded. 

The door was not locked so Sven was able to slide it open, he aimed his weapon ahead of him and did a quick visual sweep of the room.  It was quite cold, the lights were on and Allura was on her knees beside the bed, clutching her head, her blaster lying on the floor beside her.

"Allura, vhat happened?"  Sven asked, entering the room and checking the bathroom and closet.  All he found was a smoking hole in a white nightgown that went through the bathroom door it was hanging on.

"Allura?"  Romelle went to her cousin, kneeling beside her.  "What happened?"

Footsteps pounded on the marble floor as Lance and Hunk raced down the hall and into the Princess' room.  They stopped in the doorway and listened to Allura speak

"I…I came in here…and it was so…so cold," her voice shook.  "I felt a, uh, a breeze run over me and, I uh, I saw a movement and I…I fired, but it was, it was just my nightgown, it, uh, I saw it move.  My head, it's…it's killing me.  Oh, it hurts."  Her hands were fisted in her hair.

Romelle soothingly rubbed her back while the guys finished sweeping the room.

"The thermostat says sixty-five degrees," Hunk told Lance.  "I don't know why it's so cold in here."

"Come on, Allura, let's get you to Dr. Gorma.  You can sleep in the hospital tonight, we'll fix the temp control in here tomorrow."  Lance offered her a hand.

  
As quickly as it had come, the pain was gone.  Allura looked up and saw her friends watching her worriedly and she felt like a fool.  "I'm fine," she said, her tone clipped.

"No you're not," Lance insisted.

She stood, shaking Romelle's hand from her shoulder.  "No, I'm fine.  Just feeling a little silly."

"You have nothing to feel silly about," Hunk assured her.  "You're under a lot of stress and you're tired, it's understandable that you'd be a little jumpy.  I don't understand the problem with the temp control, though."

"I tink you should go see Dr. Gorma, you can't stay in here tonight," Sven spoke up.

She shook her head, "I'm fine.  I just want to get some sleep."

"Why don't you stay in Keith's room tonight," Lance suggested.  "He isn't going to be in there for a while, the temperature will be more comfortable, and you'll be closer to us if anything should happen."

Allura looked around her room, chewing on her bottom lip.  He was right, but she hated being chased from her own room.

Hunk lifted the nightgown that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door and studied the hole, "That's some pretty fancy shooting, Princess."  
  


She sighed, "Fine, but just for tonight."

"I'll help you," Romelle whispered.

Together they gathered another nightgown and a few toiletries.  When they left the bathroom, Sven was the only one left in the bedroom.

  
"Lance vent to talk to de guards, he's going to have von posted outside your door.  Hunk is going to look into fixing your temp control."  He explained.  "I'll escort you to Keit's room."  
  


Allura nodded and followed him out the door.  Her head no longer ached, but she was feeling rather woozy.  She shook her head, chalking the feeling up to exhaustion.

"Are you okay?"  Romelle asked.

She nodded.

The three of them marched quietly down the hall into the Voltron Force wing.  Keith's room was the first one in the hall and while Allura had been there a few times over the years to speak with him, she had never been in there without him and she had certainly never slept in there.

The walls were painted white and the only things hanging on the wall were a calendar and a clock.  He had a televiewer, a desk with a computer on it, shelves stocked with manuals and books, and a large, comfy looking bed.  A big, overstuffed chair sat beside the window with a floor lamp beside it.  To most people it would look rather barren, but this room was used primarily to sleep in, he spent most of his time in his study and that was where most of his pictures and knick knacks were.

"Do you vant me stay?"  Sven asked as Allura sat on the edge of the bed.

"No, Sven, that's alright.  Thank you."

He nodded to her and winked at Romelle before taking his leave.

"Do you want me to stay?"  Romelle asked tentatively.

Allura nodded, "I don't really feel like being alone right now."

Romelle sat on the bed beside her, tucking her legs under her.  "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I feel like I'm falling apart," the Princess whispered.  "So much has been going on.  I don't know what just happened in my room, it was all…all so fast, so strange."

"What do you mean?"

"It was cold and I felt a strong draft, then the headache hit me hard and fast.  But then, it went away, I feel alright now.  I thought there was someone else in the room, I actually believed it."

"Did the draft feel like someone walking past you?"

"No, it was like a strong wind blew over me."

Romelle furrowed her brow, concerned.  "Hunk was right.  You are under a lot of stress right now, it's getting to you, it's understandable.  Maybe you should talk to Dr. Gorma."

"No, I feel fine."

"Well, then I think you should talk to someone about your strange feelings, someone may have been in your room.  Tell Keith."

Allura shook her head, "I don't want to worry him about nothing."

"Then tell Lance."

"They all have enough to tend to right now, they don't need to worry about something I imagined."

Romelle sighed, "You're being stubborn, Allura, they would want to know.  How can they protect you if…"  
  


"Well, maybe I'm sick of being _protected_ all the time!"  She exploded.  "I can't leave my castle, I can't sleep in my own room tonight, I'm sick of it!"  She fell back on the bed and closed her eyes.

"They care about you, Allura, they are doing what they need to do to keep you safe."

"I know.  I don't blame the guys, I blame Lotor."

Romelle sat quietly, playing with the skirt of her gown.  

"I'm sorry, Romelle, you must think I'm a horrible, selfish person…"  
  


"No, Allura, I…"

"No, after everything you've been through, I have nothing to complain about."

Romelle blushed slightly and shrugged her shoulders, "You have the ability to fight back, and you are.  I admire you, Allura, for everything you've done and you've still come out strong."

Allura sat up and hugged her cousin, "You amaze me, Romelle."

"Do you want me to stay with you tonight?"

"No, thank you," Allura looked around the room and smiled slyly.  "It's my first time sleeping in here."

Romelle nodded slowly, a knowing smile on her lips, "Too bad Keith isn't here too."

"You are so bad," Allura laughed.  "So, uh, have you and, uh, Sven, you know?"

Romelle's face turned a brilliant shade of red, but she shook her head, "No, I'm not ready."

"And he's fine with that?"

"Oh, yes, he is the most wonderful guy.  He would never push me to do anything I wasn't comfortable doing.  Why?  Is Keith trying to force you?"

"Oh no!  Of course not.  It's just that, well, some of the princes I had met before tried to push me into doing things after I had only known them a short time, but Keith hasn't.  He's such a gentleman."

"You sound a little disappointed," Romelle teased.

"Not at all.  I don't think I'm ready yet either, but well," she stopped, her face red.

"What is it?"

"I don't know, whenever we're together I just want to touch him, you know?  Even when it's totally inappropriate, like when we're in meetings, I have the urge to grab his hand or brush the hair off his forehead."

"I know exactly what you mean."

"Do you think they feel the same way?  I mean, when we're in practice or battle, Keith treats me just like everyone else, not that I want it any other way, but underneath his tough, commander exterior, does he want to touch me too?"

Romelle looked thoughtful for a moment, "I think he does, but if he were to ever allow his feelings to get in the way of his work, it could be disastrous.  Just like if you were to allow your feelings to get in the way of your responsibilities to rule and rebuild Arus."

"I know, it's just hard sometimes.  I would love to just have a normal relationship."

"I don't think that's possible for us."

Allura laughed quietly, "True.  Has there ever been anything normal about our lives?"

Romelle tapped her finger against her lips, "Hmm, to be honest, being a princess, being sent to be a slave to one of the most horrible men alive, being tossed into a pit and then rescued by a really cute space explorer, and then being reunited with my long lost cousin is pretty normal to me."

"Okay, point proven," Allura yawned.

"I'm going to head off to bed," Romelle stood, stretching her arms above her head.  "You know where to find me if you need me."

"Thank you, Romelle.  Good night."

"Good night."

Allura stood and surveyed Keith's room.  A jacket was hanging over the back of his desk chair, that appeared to be the only thing out of place.  Her finger itched to open the desk drawers, she was curious about what he had hidden away, but she knew it was wrong.  She changed into her nightgown and turned down the bed.  His scent clung to the sheets and she turned her nose into the pillow.  Exhaustion washed over her and she curled up in a tight ball, feeling safe in his bed.

Less than an hour later, she woke, shivering.  The cold seeped into her bones and had her fingers numb.  Allura stumbled tiredly to Keith's closet and pulled it open, she found an old Tampa Bay Buccaneers sweatshirt and pulled it over her head.  It fell to her knees and her hands were hidden in the long thick sleeves.  She turned back to the bed and curled up in a tight ball, cold, but too tired to care.

***************************************************************

"Princess."

Allura looked up to see Haggar standing in front of her.  "What do you want, witch?  How did you get in?"

"I am more powerful than you give me credit for, Princess, as for what I want, I think you know."

Allura stood, "I will never marry Lotor."  
  


The witch cackled, "Oh get over yourself!  Lotor is so blinded by you he doesn't see the real prize."

"What are you talking about?"

"Voltron, Princess, I want Voltron."

"No!"

"Oh, I don't think you have a choice."

"You would have to get through me as well as the other Voltron pilots, you haven't got a chance."

"I don't have to do anything, you'll be doing it for me."

"What?"

"You will get me Voltron."

"Never!"

"You don't have a choice."

"Allura!  Are you alright!"

Lance's voice interrupted the Princess' argument with the witch.  Allura looked around.  She was standing in Castle Control, not knowing how she got there.

  
"Haggar, where's Haggar?"

Lance studied her, "What are you talking about?"

"Haggar was just here!"  Her voice rose as she whirled around, looking for the witch.  "I was just talking to her!  She was here!  She said she was going to get Voltron!"

"Allura, calm down," Lance put his hands on her shoulders and forced her to look at him.  Her hair was sticking out around her pale face and she looked impossibly small in one of Keith's sweatshirts over her nightgown.  "Calm down, you were probably dreaming, it's alright, Haggar is not here."

She looked up at him, tears of frustration and confusion filling her eyes, "I don't know how I got here, Lance."

"You just walked in, you were mumbling to yourself and at first I thought you were sleep walking, but you were awake."

"I don't remember any of that.  I went to bed and now I'm in here.  What's wrong with me?"

Lance looked over his shoulder to where Pidge was talking to a guard.  He caught the Green pilot's eye and nodded his head toward the door, Pidge nodded in response.

"Come on, Allura, I'll take you back.  You're exhausted and stressed out, things are starting to get to all of us.  It's alright."

She leaned heavily against him, "I'm so tired."

"I can ask Dr. Gorma for something to help you sleep."

"I don't want to be drugged."

He nodded to the guard outside Keith's door who saluted in response.  "Get back into bed."  He couldn't help but notice the way the bed sheets were tangled and thrown as though she had thrashed around the bed.  "Are you sure you don't want something, I'm sure it won't have any bad side effects."  
  


"I'm sure," she mumbled, crawling back into the bed and pulling the comforter up.

"Do you want me to get someone to stay with you?"

"No, I'll be fine.  Sorry to have bothered you."

"You didn't bother me, Allura, if you need anything, you know how to get a hold of me."

She nodded.

It didn't take long for her to slide back into sleep.  As soon as he heard her breathing even out, Lance went to speak to the guard.  "When did the Princess leave?"

"About five minutes ago, sir."

"Did you try to stop her?"

The guard looked uncomfortable, "I asked her where she was going and she sort of waved me off.  She seemed to be deep in thought, so I let her go.  I was told to keep people from entering, I didn't think I needed to stop her from leaving."

Lance sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "That's fine, Private, you didn't do anything wrong.  But from now on if she leaves in the middle of the night again, I want you to contact either me, or Lieutenants Audric or Landers.  Pass that on to whoever relieves you and make sure they pass it on as well.  I will speak to Pidge and Hunk."

The Private saluted, "Yes, sir."

Lance returned the salute half-heartedly before turning and heading back to Castle Control.  "What is going on?"  He mumbled under his breath.


	26. Trouble Comes In Different Forms

Hi all,

Okay, two things.  First,I tend to use the three period method of showing pauses in the conversations or when someone is interrupted, but for some reason, two of the periods always disappear when I post a story now.  I guess it's just a little FF.net quirk, but I hope it doesn't cause any confusion.

Secondly, MustangAce, I wanted to address your review.  Thank very much for your review, I really do appreciate it and you addressed a topic I've worried about.  Am I becoming too repetitive?  Probably.  I try to avoid it the best I can, but then I am just writing these for fun and, to be perfectly honest, I don't think these are the best stories I've written. I've said before (I forget where, in one of my previous stories) that I am concentrating more on their relationships than anything else.  At this point in the story, the Force has been on Arus for over two years and there have been numerous fights, I just didn't want to show them all, granted I could have shown more and there will be more to come.  But I've been concentrating on the building of Keith and Allura's relationship and since this story is already a lot longer than I had planned on, I have to be careful what I keep in and what I omit, I don't want it drag out and bore you all.  

As for your Koran question, well, before I started posting I had read a story where it was spelled that way and I found a rather in depth Voltron website that said both Koran and Coran are acceptable spellings of his name.  I thought about changing the spelling, but it would have really bothered me to change the spelling halfway through a story and I would have had to go back and repost the stories with the other spelling, so I just kept it as it was.

Anyway, thanks for your review and to everyone else who reviews, it means a lot to me to know you are reading and enjoying my story.  I also use your reviews and suggestions to try and improve my writing.

Enjoy,

Failte

*****************************************************************

Around about midmorning, Lance made his way into the hospital.  He had only had about five hours of sleep the night before and he was feeling rather tired, but Keith wanted an update and he owed it to him.

He had expected to see Allura in Keith's room, she had disappeared after breakfast and they had all assumed she went to sit with Keith.  Lance was surprised to see his captain lying in bed alone in his room.

"Hey, Cap, how're you feeling?"  Lance asked as he sauntered into the room.

"I'm feeling better.  The fever's gone and Dr. Gorma said there is no sign of infection, I should be able to move back to my room in a few days."

Lance sat in the chair beside the bed, "That's good to hear."

"So what do you have for me?"

"Well, we can't find anything.  No more sign of Lotor or Haggar.  We've spoken to the Garrison and they're going to send us another dozen troops to help secure the castle grounds until the current threat has passed.  Other than what happened in Allura's room last night, things have been fine."

Keith whipped his head to the side to look at Lance, "What happened in Allura's room?  Is she alright?"

"I thought she would have told you."

"I haven't seen her yet today.  What happened?"

"Oh, well, Sven was just down the hall last night when he heard a blaster shot in Allura's room.  When we got there we found the room was really cold, even though the temp control was set at sixty five, and she said she had felt a strong draft.  Something moved and spooked her, so she fired a shot, it ended up being her nightgown on the back of her door.  Allura was shaken up and had a really bad headache, but after a few minutes she said she was fine.  She refused to see Dr. Gorma, but we got her to agree to stay in your room so we could fix the temp control.  A couple of hours after she turned in, she showed up in Castle Control, mumbling to herself and when I spoke to her she freaked out saying Haggar was here and she was after Voltron."  Lance explained, hurriedly.

Keith pursed his lips, "Why hasn't she come and told me this?  Where is she now?"

Lance shrugged, "We haven't seen her since breakfast, I just assumed she was here."

"Go find her, Lance, I want to talk to her."

"Yes, sir."

Keith stared at the ceiling, his teeth clenched in frustration.  He had had a bad feeling the night before, but since no one had come and told him anything and there had been no alarms sounded, he ignored it.  Keith knew better than to ignore his feelings, he should have called Lance up on his communicator.  

******************************************************************************

Lance checked Allura's room, the rec room, Castle Control, and finally her study before he found the Princess.

"Who is it?"  She called when he knocked.

"It's Lance."

"Come in."

Allura was seated behind her desk, looking worn out.  Dark circles had formed beneath her eyes, her face was pale, and she seemed irritated.

"Hey, Allura, how're you feeling?"

"I'm fine, Lance, what's up?"

"I just spoke to Keith, he told me he hasn't seen you yet today."

"I've been busy."

Lance raised his eyebrows, "Too busy to see Keith?"

"Yes, Lance, I do have a planet to run and it's rebuilding to see to and as you can see I'm still busy, so may I ask why you are here."

"Uh, well, like I said, I just spoke to Keith and he would like to see you."

She sighed, "Fine, I'll go see him when I'm done here."

"I think he wants to see you now."

Allura slowly raised her eyes to his, "I do not take orders from the Captain or you.  I will go see him when I am able to."

Lance inhaled sharply, "Okay, well, I just thought you should know he wants to speak with you."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry, Lance.  It was a long night and I guess I'm just tired and cranky.  Of course I'll go see Keith, I'll go in a few minutes."

He nodded and smiled reassuringly, "I know a lot is happening right now, Allura, but we're all here to help you.  If you need anything at all, just ask."

"I know Lance," she smiled.  "And I really appreciate that.  Thank you."

"Take it easy, Allura," he told her as he stood in the doorway.  "And you know where to find me if you need anything."

She nodded and looked back at the paper in front of her.  The truth was she had been avoiding Keith, seeing him meant telling him about last night and she wasn't sure how to explain it to him since she didn't understand it herself.

Taking a deep breath, Allura pushed her chair back and stood, running her hands over her hair and then smoothing her skirt.  She pinched her cheeks, hoping to bring a little color to her face.  Pasting what she hoped was a believable smile on to her face, Allura left her study and took the long way around the Observation deck, past Castle Control, and behind the kitchen to the Hospital wing.

Keith was propped up on a few pillows, a book open on his chest, but he was staring at the wall opposite him.  When the door slid open, he raised his worried gaze to the woman who looked back at him.  He could see past the weak smile and the pink cheeks to the tired look and harried appearance.  "Hey."

"Hi, Keith, how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling better, the fever has passed and Dr. Gorma said there was no sign of infection."  
  
"Oh, I am so glad to hear that," she walked slowly into the room, the door closing behind her.

"But I want to hear about you," he said, holding his hand out to her.  "Tell me what happened last night."

She sat on the edge of his bed, taking his hand in hers, "It was nothing, silly really, the temp control in my room malfunctioned, Hunk already has it fixed.  Then I had a nightmare with Haggar and I went sleepwalking."

Keith pursed his lips, "Allura."

"What?"

"Lance thinks it was more than just a nightmare."

She rolled her eyes, "Really, Keith, you guys worry way too much.  I have a lot on my mind and I do have nightmares sometimes."

"But I've never heard of you sleepwalking."

"I used to as a child," she lied.

"Allura."

"So," she interrupted.  "Where is Black's key?"

Keith raised an eyebrow, "Don't worry, it's in a safe place.  Why do you ask?"

"Well, if we were attacked while you were laid up, I would have to fly Black."

"Oh, well, Lance has it.  If anyone attacks, he'll give you the key."

"Why didn't you give it to me?"

"You seemed a little stressed out, I thought, at the time, it was best I give it to him.  Allura, what's going on?"

She looked down at their joined hands and sighed, "Nothing, I guess I'm just a little nervous."

"You have nothing to worry about, Angel, nothing is going to happen to you."

"I know."

"So, is that all you're going to tell me about last night?"

"There is nothing else to tell you."

He nodded, frustrated by her lack cooperation.  "I love you."

She smiled softly, "I love you too, honey."

"I only want to help you."  
  


"I know, _you_ want to help me, _Lance_ wants to help me, maybe I don't need any of your help."

"Allura," he said sharply. "I know we've become close and the guys are your friends, but our first and foremost concern is your safety, we are still your guards.  How can we keep you safe if you don't tell us what's happening?"

"It was just a nightmare," she whispered weakly.

Keith reached up with his other hand and captured her chin, forcing her to look at him, "Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

"Some."

"I think you should talk to Dr. Gorma and see if he has something to help you sleep."

"I don't want to.  If we get attacked in the middle of the night and I'm drugged, what good would I be?"

"You'd be about as good as you are with no sleep at all."

She straightened the blanket around him and changed the subject, "So when does Dr. Gorma think you'll be out of here?"

"I can move back to my room in another day or two."

"That's good news, you'll be back on your feet before long."

"Yeah, uh, listen, I have a huge favor to ask you."

"Anything," she smiled at him, glad to have something else to occupy her mind.

"Lance had to report my injury to the Garrison which means my family back on Terra will be contacted."

Allura nodded, remembering back on the times any of the guys had been injured their families had been contacted and then given the opportunity to call the Castle of Lions.

"If my mother calls, would you please be the one to talk to her?  I know its Lance's place as the acting commander, but I would rather you tell her I'll be fine in a few days."

"Of course, Keith, that's no problem at all."  
  


"Then why do you look so terrified?"

"I'm not terrified," she insisted, her voice rising a little.  "I'll admit to being a little nervous, but I'm not terrified."

"You've never spoken to my mother, have you?"

She shook her head.

"I want her to get to know you."

"And what better way than to have me tell her you were stabbed."

"I wrote to her and told her about us," he admitted quietly.

Allura raised her eyebrows, "When did you do that?"

"I emailed her the day before yesterday, before all this happened."

A grin spread across her face, "So I guess we're official then, huh?"

"Yeah, well, I had to tell her.  My mother was convinced I was going to be married to the military and that no woman would be able to put up with me."

Allura leaned down and gave him a quick kiss, "I guess you're lucky I can put up with you."

******************************************************************

It was later that evening that Keith's mother contacted the Castle of Lions.  Allura had left word with the guards on duty to contact her the moment Mrs. Whitaker was able to reach Arus.

"Your Highness," Pvt. Fforden stood in the open door of her study.  "Captain Whitaker's mother is on the videophone, I told her you would be right with her."  
  


"Yes, have it forwarded in here, please."

He saluted and turned on his heel, hurrying down the hall.

Allura crossed the room and shut her door.  Taking a deep breath, she turned to the monitor on the wall beside her desk.  The screen flickered and turned blue before dissolving into the image of Isabelle Whitaker.  She was a handsome woman with dark red hair and Keith's big, brown eyes.  

"Mrs. Whitaker," Allura greeted her with a smile.  "How are you?"

"Uh, Your Highness, I'm fine.  How's Keith?"

"Please, call me Allura.  Keith is doing fine.  The injury was not life threatening and, although he did have a fever yesterday, it passed and there is no sign of infection.  Dr. Gorma expects him to be back in his room in a couple of days and he'll be back on his feet not long after that."

Isabelle let out a breath, "I am so glad to hear that.  I was so worried when he was stationed so far from home.  He is so headstrong and stubborn.  I bet you're having a hard time keeping him in bed, aren't you?"

Allura nodded, "Yes, Ma'am.  He isn't one to lie down for long.  I think if he had his way, we would move his hospital bed into Castle Control."

"Or right into the Lion," the older woman chuckled.  "It is such a relief to know he'll be alright.  You'll have him call me as soon as he's on his feet, won't you?"

"Of course."     

"So, Allura, dear, how are you doing?"

"I'm fine, Mrs. Whitaker."

She nodded, "Good, I'm glad to hear that.  I know now is not the best time, but when things calm down a bit, I would like to talk to you some more, get to know you better."

"I would like that too."

"Give Keith my love and if anything should happen, please contact me.  I would much rather hear it from you than the Garrison."

"Of course, Mrs. Whitaker, I'll keep you posted.  And once things calm down, I would like for you and your family to come to Arus."

"Oh, that would be wonderful," Isabelle gasped.  "I would love to see where Keith has been living these past couple of years."

"The door is always open, Mrs. Whitaker."

"I will definitely take you up on that offer, Allura.  I just want to ask you to look out for my Keith.  Make sure he eats properly and gets enough rest.  I worry about him so much."

"I will.  We've all been looking out for each other."

Isabelle smiled slyly, "I'm putting his wellbeing in your hands, Allura, if I can't be there to take care of him, someone has to."

Allura felt the heat rise to her face, but she smiled, "I will do my best."

"Thank you, Allura, please keep me posted on his condition."

"I will."

"Good night, dear."

"Good night, Mrs. Whitaker."  Allura watched the screen fade to blue and then flicker to black.  She felt good.  She wasn't sure what to expect, talking to Keith's mother for the first time alone, but it had been painless and now right enjoyable.  Isabelle was a pleasant, nice woman.  But then what else could you expect from the woman who raised Keith.

**************************************************************

Two nights later, Allura went to bed feeling great.  Keith was going to be fine, he had been up and observing practice from Castle Control that morning, there had been no more signs of Lotor and Haggar and the backup guards from the Garrison had arrived the day before.  Sven was helping Lance in the running of the Force and practice so some of the pressure was taken off the Red pilot.  

Koran had brought in a report stating that the orphanage had been completed and building had begun on the school.  If everything was clear tomorrow, Hunk, Pidge, and Allura were going to go into town after practice to see what they can do to help.  

To top it all off, she hadn't had any headaches and it seemed, or rather she hoped, everything that had happened that night was a one-time event.

Curling up in bed, Allura picked up the most recent trashy novel Lance's sister had sent her from Terra.  Not long after the Force had arrived on Arus, Lance had noticed how she didn't have any friends her own age, particularly any girlfriends.  So he contacted his sister Leslie, who was only a couple of years younger than Allura, and got her to send Allura a few things from Terra that she might like.  The girls now wrote to each other and exchanged small gifts from their planets.

Sleep came easily as she relaxed.  Her heart wasn't as heavy as it had been and her mind was clearer.

"Princess."

Allura squeezed her eyes shut, whispering to herself, "It's just a dream, it's just a dream."

"This is no dream, Princess."  Haggar hissed.

"You're not really here."

"Yes I am."

Taking a deep breath, Allura opened her eyes and saw the dark outline of the witch standing over her, cradling her cat in her arms.  "This is a dream."

"No it isn't."

Without realizing it, Allura was on her feet, standing in front of the old woman.  "I want you out of my castle and off my planet now."

"I want Voltron."

"No."

"So the pilot of the Red Lion has the key to Black Lion?"

"How do you know that?"

"I know everything you know.  We will get both keys along with your key to Blue Lion and then we will have the upper hand."

"No!"

"Allura?"

The Princess shook her head and looked up to see Hunk watching her worriedly.

"Are you okay?"  He asked.

She looked around.  They were standing outside Lance's closed bedroom door.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?"  He asked skeptically.

"No."

"What is it?"

"I saw Haggar," she whispered.

"Where?"

"Here, with me now."

"Allura."

"I saw her Hunk, as clearly as I am seeing you now!"  Allura insisted.

"Maybe you should."  
  


"Don't tell me to go see Dr. Gorma," she interrupted.  "He can't help me with this."

"Okay," the big guy ran a hand through his hair.  "Maybe you should stay with Romelle."

"I don't need a babysitter," her voice rose with frustration but her argument died on her lips at the sound of the castle alarms.

Hunk and Allura were quickly joined by Sven, Lance, and Pidge as they all ran to Castle Control.


	27. Allies In Her Internal Battle

Hi all!  
  


I am so sorry for the delay, I have been having some computer issues.  Hopefully, everything is alright now and I'll be able to update more quickly.

Thank you for your wonderful reviews.  I really appreciate it!  
  


Enjoy,

Failte

**********************************************************************

"What's going on?"  Lance asked as they raced into Castle Control.

"Doom," Koran said, not removing his gaze from the radar in front of him.  "Three fighters and a large ship, most likely a coffin or carrying a coffin."

Lance whirled around to look at his team.  Sven, Hunk, Pidge and Allura all stood around him, ready to fly.  The door slid open and he raised his eyes to see Keith limping in, his arm wrapped around his stomach.

"What is it?"  Keith asked.

"It's Doom," Allura said impatiently.  "And we're wasting time down here.  Let's get up in the Lions, give me Black's key."

Lance looked down at her outstretched hand and then up at Keith.  They spoke wordlessly for a moment before Keith turned to Sven.  "How're you feeling?"

"Fine, Keit."

"Alright, you're in Red."

"What?"  Allura asked, incredulous.

"Sven is flying Red so Lance can fly Black, now go," Keith commanded.

Allura's face turned an angry red and she opened her mouth to argue, but the others had already raced to their Lions.  Keith met her eyes and glared back.

"You better be here when I get back," she hissed at him.

"I will be," he promised.

Allura ran to Blue's entry tube and tried to push aside the betrayal she felt.  Why had Keith assigned Lance to fly Black?  She was well within her right as the monarch of Arus to overrule his decision, but they did not have the time to argue about that right now.  

The three Doom fighters flew back at the sight of the Lions, but the massive transport ship flew closer.  A door slid open and a large coffin ship was ejected, gliding down to the ground and landing with a ground shaking thump.

"This is it, gang," Keith called from Castle Control.  "Don't mess around, form Voltron and get rid of this robeast before it has the chance to do any damage."

"Will do, Captain," Lance responded, watching as the coffin slowly opened and the robeast rose.

It was another ugly creation they knew Haggar was proud of.  The robeast was, of course, as tall as Voltron, it was school bus yellow and slightly resembled a dog.  Its tail swung and knocked down two trees, it's enormous paws just barely missed hitting the castle while it's one foot crushed half of Allura's roses.

"Alright team, let's form Voltron!"  Lance yelled as Green, Yellow, and Red surrounded him.  "Allura!  Now!"

Blue was flying directly towards the transport ship, seemingly ignorant of the others.  Her face was visible on all their monitors, she appeared calm, but deep in thought.

"Allura!"  Keith snapped.

She continued to ignore them.

The Princess only saw Haggar.  The witch was calling to her, taunting her.  Where were the guys?  She should not be in this fight alone, but if she was, she was going to win.

A sharp tug had Allura's head snapping forward and back, hitting it against the back of the seat.  "What is going on?"  She asked.

"Allura, what are you doing?"  Lance demanded angrily.

Looking around, Allura realized Black had Blue's tail in her mouth and Lance had reversed the thrusters, pulling Blue away from the Doom ship.  "What are you doing Lance?  Let me go!  Don't you see what they're doing?"

Keith and Koran exchanged worried looks.  

"The battle's over here," Lance said, still dragging Blue.

"No Lance!"  Allura pushed forward on Blue and tried to pull herself from Black's grip.  "Why don't you see it!  They're going to destroy us!"

"Allura!"  Lance boosted the power to the thrusters and fought to keep his hold on Blue as the robeast swung at the three Lions flying around it.  "Snap out of it!  We have a robeast!"

She let out an exasperated sigh, "But Haggar is…"

"Allura we form Voltron now or I have Keith remove you from the team," Lance said quietly.

Shaking her head, she looked around and saw the destroyed flowers of her garden and the knocked down trees.  Green tumbled through the air as the robeast swatted it.  

"Oh, no," Allura whispered.  "When did that happen?"

Keith watched all this from Castle Control and felt his stomach knot up.  "What is going on with her?"

"I've already contacted Kadmus," Koran whispered.  "I told him there was something wrong with the Princess, he should be here tomorrow morning."

Keith nodded, "Good."

The five Lions came together to form Voltron.  The robeast struck out with its paw and sent Voltron tumbling.  The robot slowly got to its feet and stepped back, trying to draw the creature away from the castle.  The robeast stumbled over the trees it had knocked down earlier and fell to its knees.  The Force took the opportunity to form the blazing sword.  Three strikes later, the robeast was destroyed.

"Good job gang," Keith said tiredly.  "Come on in."

The five Lions separated, but Lance hung back to watch Blue.  She hovered for a moment, as though Allura was trying to decide where to go.  He looked up and saw the Doom transport ship had gone.

  
"Allura."

The Princess looked down at the monitor in front of her.  Keith had opened up a private connection with her.  "Yes?"

"Come back in, please."

She nodded and steered Blue toward the lake.

The rest of the team had beat Allura to Castle Control, but Keith waved them away while he waited for her.  He leaned against the tube, his arm wrapped around his stomach, trying to ignore the stiff pain in his side.

"Captain?"

Keith looked up to see Koran standing beside him.  "I'll talk to her, Koran."

The older man nodded, hesitated, and then returned to the main console.

Keith reached out and grabbed Allura's arm as she leapt from her tube.  "We need to talk."

She nodded, "Yes, we do."

"Come on, we'll go to your study."

As soon as the door to Castle Control shut behind them and they were in the hall, Allura turned to him, "I can not believe you did that!  I should have flown Black, do you realize how that looked to everyone?  You essentially just told the Force, Koran, and the guards that you don't think I can handle my duty!"

"Stop it," he hissed as a maid passed, looking at them strangely.

"Don't tell me to stop," Allura whirled around and looked at him.  "I am so sick and tired of the way I've been treated lately, you all seem to think I'm incapable of doing the simplest things!  You are all walking on eggshells around me and following me, like you can't trust me."

Keith tightened his grip on her arm and wordlessly pulled her down the hall and into her study.  He didn't speak until the door was shut behind them.  "What is going on with you, Allura?  You cannot tell me you don't know."

Allura paced the room while he sat gingerly on the chair in front of her desk.  "You guys are completely overreacting to a few nightmares and sleepwalking."

"Allura, you've been caught three times wandering the halls of the castle, convinced you were seeing Haggar when she wasn't there."

"It's only been twice," she muttered.

"No, it's been three times."

"The night after you were injured, I was upset and had a nightmare, it happens.  And then tonight, I don't know, I guess I just had a feeling that this attack was coming."

Keith looked up at her, "You did it again tonight?"

"Yes, it has happened twice."

"I didn't know about tonight, that means it has happened four times."

Allura let out an exasperated sigh, "It has not!"

"You don't remember the last two nights, do you?"

"I went to bed, I slept, I woke up.  That was it."

Keith ran a hand over his face, "Last night Koran caught you in Castle Control again and walked you back to bed before placing a guard at your door.  The night before you came to my room and demanded the key to Black saying it was your birth right to have it.  Then, just now, in the battle you were actually flying Blue to the transport ship.  Allura, I'm worried, what is going on with you?"

She sat on the edge of her desk in front of him, "I don't know, I don't remember the last two nights."

"If you don't believe me you can check the security cameras," he said wryly.

"I didn't say I didn't believe you."

"Don't fight me, Allura, I love you and I'm worried."

"I don't know what's wrong with me," she admitted quietly.

Keith stood slowly and took her hands in his, "Koran has called Kadmus, he thinks he can help."

"Why can't I remember?  What have I done?"

"You haven't done anything too bad, we've been looking out for you."

"This is scary," she whispered, leaning forward to lay her forehead on his shoulder.

"Tell me what's been happening, Allura," he murmured, wrapping his arms around her.

Taking a deep breath, Allura told him, "She's in my head, Keith.  She said she sees and hears everything I do and she knows everything I know."

"Haggar?"

She nodded.

Keith stroked her hair, "Why didn't you tell us sooner?  Why were you fighting us?  We only want to help."

"I know, Keith, I was scared.  I didn't really understand what was wrong with me and I didn't want to admit that she could get to me."

He pulled back to look at her, "You let your pride get in the way, Allura, you can't let that happen.  Do you have any idea what might have happened if I had let you fly Black?  You very well might have given it to Lotor.  You should have come to me the first night so I could have helped you."

"Keith, you were laid up in the hospital."

"Then you should have told Lance or Koran or Hunk, no one would have thought any less of you.  Don't you realize what could have happened?  How much information they may have gotten from you?"

"Don't you dare lecture me, Captain, I think I know better than anyone what is at stake."

He brought his hands up to frame her face and force her to look at him, "Allura, you are an amazing person, I have never known anyone like you.  But you can't do it all by yourself, we're here to help you.  Let us help you, let _me_ help you."

She blinked her eyes, feeling the exhausted tears gather there, "I'm sorry."

"It's alright, you have nothing to be sorry about.  You have to know we wouldn't let anything happen to you."

"But it already has, Keith, don't you get it?  She's _in_ me, she knows what I know about the castle, the Lions, everything."

"Allura, she already knew so much about the castle and the Lions, you have not betrayed us, this is her doing, not yours."

She leaned against him, careful of his still tender side.  "I'm afraid to go to sleep."

"Do…do you want me to stay with you?"  He whispered, hesitantly.

She did.  Allura felt safer in his arms than she did anywhere else and the idea of him holding her while she slept was a comforting thought.

"Allura?"

"I do, Keith, but it wouldn't be proper."

"We wouldn't…we wouldn't _do_ anything."

"I know that, but it wouldn't appear proper."

"I don't care how it appears, I want you to be able to sleep.  You need rest."

"So do you," she murmured.

Rather than responding, Keith tightened his arms around her.  Allura turned her face into his throat, suddenly realizing just how tired she was.  Her whole body felt tired and heavy.

"Princess?"

Keith sighed at the sound of Koran's voice, "Come on, let me walk you to your room."

She nodded and allowed him to take her hand and walk to the door.

"How are you?"  Koran asked softly as they met him in the hallway.

"I'm fine, just tired," she assured him.

"When do we expect Kadmus to arrive?"  Keith asked.

"Mid-morning."

"Let me know as soon as he gets here, I'm going to take Allura to her room."  Keith stared at Koran, daring him to argue.

When the older man just nodded, Keith and Allura bade him goodnight and left him standing outside her study.  Keith couldn't help but notice how tightly she was gripping his hand.  

"I can have Nanny come in and stay with you or one of the female guards," Keith said as they approached her door.

"No," she opened the door.  "Maybe…maybe you could stay with me, just until I fall asleep."  

"Anything you want."  Keith had been in her room before, but it felt different this time.  He looked around, taking in the room in an all new light. 

"I'll, uh, I'll be right back," she disappeared into the bathroom.

Over the past few months, Allura had started changing her room from the pink and white little girl room to one more suited for a young woman.  A massive four poster bed with thick maroon curtains tied to the posts and luxurious blankets and pillows of gold and maroon took up a good deal of space in the room.  He knew it had once belonged to her parents, the guys had helped move it into her room.  There was a large fireplace dominating the wall opposite her bed.  On the mantle were a picture of her parents on their wedding day and a picture of her with her parents when she was quite young, flanked by dolls from her childhood.  Bookshelves held books, old toys, and photos.  A large desk sat below the windows that looked out over the lake and a small sitting area made up of a table and two chairs took over a corner beside the windows.  It was a royal room of ridiculous proportions for such a small woman.

Noticing the slight chill in the room, Keith knelt beside the fireplace and set about lighting a fire.  If worse came to worse, he could sleep in one of the chairs beside the window, it wouldn't be too comfortable, but it would work for the night.  He stood and lifted one of the dolls off the mantle.  It had a soft body but porcelain hands and head.  Blonde hair, so soft it was hard to believe it was fake, fell down the doll's back over the light green gown she wore.

"I kept them in hopes that someday my daughter might play with them."

Keith turned to see Allura stepping out of the bathroom.  He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise at the sight of the short nightgown she wore.  It barely brushed her knees and was held in place with two thin straps.  Any response he might have had died on his tongue as he stared at the bare, pale skin of her shoulders.

She smiled softly and walked over to him, taking the doll from his hand, "Her name is Dalia, my father gave her to me for my fourth birthday."

"Uh, how, uh, how are you feeling?"  He asked, swallowing hard.

She set the doll back on the mantle, "Tired."

"Get some sleep, I'll hang around for a while and make sure you fall asleep, then I'll post a guard outside your…" He stopped when she stepped closer and placed both hands on his chest.  "Allura."  
  


She stood on her toes and gently brushed her lips over his, "I love you."

"I love you too," he breathed, lowering his head and deepening the kiss.

Allura slid her hands up and around his neck, tightening her hold on him.

With great reluctance, Keith broke the kiss and lifted his head, "Come on, Allura, you need to sleep."

She looked at him and asked shyly, "Will you lay with me?"

"I, uh, I don't know if that's a good idea."

A pretty pout settled on her lips, "I'll sleep better with you next to me."

Keith brought his hand up to cup her cheek, "Allura, what is going on?"

"I'm scared," she whispered.  "Just lay with me, please."

With a slight nod of his head, Keith let her take his hand and lead him to the bed.  She pulled the blankets back and crawled in, settling back against the pillows, she patted the empty space beside her.

Feeling unsure, but unable to deny her, Keith sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his boots off.  He turned and laid stiffly beside her, on top of the blankets.

"You don't look very comfortable," she told him, cuddling up beside him.

"Well, this isn't very comfortable for me," he admitted.

"Why?"

"Because it is really hard for me to be lying in bed beside you and not…well, and _just_ lying beside you."

Allura bent her elbow and propped her head up on her hand so she could look down at him, "You really want to be with me?"

He toyed with a lock of her hair, "More than you will ever know."

"Why?"

"Because I love you."

With a smile she kissed him.

"Why all the questions?"  He asked her.

"Just wondering," she laid her head on his chest.

Keith looked down at the top of her golden head, "Allura?"

"Hm?"

"Is this _you_ asking me?"

"What?"

"Nothing."

She tilted her head back to look at him, "You think its Haggar acting through me?"

He shrugged, "I'm not used to you being so forward."

"She's not here, Keith."

"Get some sleep, honey, Kadmus will be here in the morning to figure all this out."

Allura furrowed her brow, "You don't think I want to be with you?  You think this is Haggar?"

"No, I don't think that."

A teasing smile tugged at her mouth, "You are so full of yourself."

"What?"  
  


"You think Haggar wants you too, huh?  So now I have to worry about fighting an evil, powerful witch for you?"

Keith laughed, "What can I say? I just can't contain my powerful charisma."

"Maybe if we just gave you over to Haggar, she would leave us alone."

"So I am that dispensable?"

She kissed him gently, "It's for the good of my planet, won't you do it for me?"

Keith tugged on her hair, "I will give myself to Haggar for the good of your planet on the same day you give yourself to Lotor so the guys and I can have a couple of days off."

Her mouth fell open, "Not funny."

"No?"

"No," she skimmed her fingers over his ribs.

"I'm not ticklish."

"Yes, you are, I have to find the spot….there!"  She laughed as he squirmed beneath her hands.

"Stop, please," he gasped.  "Okay, stop, ow!"

"Oh, Keith, I am so sorry," Allura jumped back when he flinched and sucked in a painful breath.  "I'm sorry, honey, are you okay?"

He shifted and turned so he was laying on his uninjured side, facing her, "It's alright, Allura, I'm fine."

She studied him, noticing the tired look in his eyes and the tightness of his jaw.  Gently, she stroked his jaw, feeling him relax under her touch.  Keith tangled his hand in her hair and kissed her gently at first, but more hungrily as she slid her fingers into his hair, pulling him closer to her.  He tugged at her hair, pulling her head back, skimming his lips over her cheek and down her throat, stopping to nibble on her shoulder, rolling her onto her back.

Keith lifted his head to see she was laying back against her pillow, her eyes closed, breathing slowly.  She slowly opened her eyes and met his gaze.

"Good night," he whispered, giving her a quick peck on the lips before letting her go.

"Good night," she murmured.  "That was pretty sneaky."

"I know, but you need to rest."  He rolled onto his side and watched as she slipped into a peaceful sleep.

****************************************************

"You said this would work!"  Lotor roared, throwing a goblet and just barely missing Haggar's head.

The old witch didn't even flinch, "She is not as weak willed as she once was."

"I don't want to hear your excuses!  You said you could get Allura from within!"

"She is fighting back, I had not anticipated that."

"Then you fight back and win!"

"She has the Captain, she is stronger because of him."

Lotor stormed over to her, "She has a silly crush, you are inside her head, you can convince her otherwise."

"Because I am inside her head I know exactly what she feels for the Captain and I can tell you that this is not just some silly crush."

The Drule hissed angrily at Haggar and whirled on his heel, "Get out of my sight, witch."


	28. Defeating The Evil Within

"No, this is a dream. You are not here."  
  
Keith woke slowly to the sound of Allura's voice.   
  
"No! Leave me alone. You are not welcome here!"  
  
He sat up quickly, hissing as a shot of pain hit him in the side.  
  
Allura was clutching the blankets in her hands, staring straight ahead with wide, scared eyes. "No, Haggar, you are not welcome here. You are not really here, leave me alone." Her voice shook with nervous determination.  
  
"Allura," Keith reached out with a gentle hand and touched her shoulder. "Allura."  
  
She jolted sharply, her eyes moving wildly around the room.  
  
"Allura, it's alright, calm down."  
  
"No, Haggar, leave my planet now."  
  
Keith took her hands in his, unclasping them from the blanket. "Fight her, Allura, you can do this."  
  
She closed her eyes suddenly and her head whipped to the side, almost as though she had been slapped. Keith tightened his grip on her hands when she whimpered. "Fight her, Allura, you're stronger than this."  
  
"You can't have it, you will never have Voltron," she said through clenched teeth.  
  
Keith felt her struggling to get up, to get out of his grasp, but he didn't let go. He leaned down, pining her beneath him, "Fight it, Angel, you can do this. I love you."  
  
A gasping sob escaped her mouth and she stopped struggling, her eyes squeezed shut.  
  
"Allura?" He spoke hesitantly, loosening his hold on her.  
  
Her eyes fluttered open, surprised to see him, "Keith?"  
  
"Are you okay?"  
  
She nodded slowly, "I, uh, I think so. What happened?"  
  
"You saw Haggar again, you fought her."  
  
"She wants Voltron and she said that once she gets him, Lotor will get me."  
  
Keith rolled onto his back, bringing her with him so she lay on his chest, "That's not going to happen."  
  
"I know. But it…it seems so real, Keith. I can see her and hear her. I felt her strike me. How is she doing this?"  
  
"I don't know, but Kadmus will help us figure out how to get rid of her." He stroked her hair, feeling her shake against him. "It will be alright."  
  
"I'm glad you were here," Allura whispered after a few moments of silence.  
  
"So am I," he kissed the top of her head and tightened his arms around her.  
  
She lapsed into silence, listening to his heartbeat. It had been racing, but was now slowing down. She closed her eyes, letting the comforting feel of him beneath her lull her to sleep.  
  
Feeling her relax, inch by inch, he knew she had slipped back into sleep.  Keith stayed awake long after Allura had fallen asleep. He kept a tight hold on her, willing her a peaceful sleep.

********************************************************************

Keith woke the next morning feeling a little disoriented.  His eyes darted around and took in his lush surroundings.  He heard a soft sigh and turned to see Allura lying next to him.  A smile crossed his face as he watched her sleep peacefully.  She was curled up beside him, her cheek resting on his chest, her hair completely covering her face.  Her hand was clutching his shirt while his arm was wrapped around her.

A quick look at the clock on her bedside table showed him that it was nearly seven and Nanny would be in to make sure Allura was up.

"Allura," he whispered.

"Mm."

"Allura, it's time to wake up."

"No," she mumbled.  "We had a battle late last night, no early practice."

"I know, sweetheart," he pushed the hair off her face.  "But Nanny will be here soon and we can't let her catch me here."

Allura opened one eye and looked up at him, "Hi."

"Hi."

She rolled onto her back and stretched both arms above her head, "You're still here."

Keith tried not to notice the way her body stretched and her back arched in feline grace.  "Huh?  Oh, uh, yeah, I guess I fell asleep."

"How do you feel?"

"I'm fine, still sore, but I'm going to be for a while.  You?"

"I feel fine."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm glad you were here last night."

"So am I."

She smiled slyly, "Maybe I just need you to sleep with me more often."  
  


He groaned, "Don't tempt me."

Allura sat up and stretched again, "I guess we'll just have to tie the knot and make it legal so we can do this every night."

Keith looked at her, surprised, "What?"

She laughed, "Just something Lance said."

"What did Lance say?"

"Something about how you're so uptight because you aren't getting any and that if we would just tie the knot, you would get it more often and lighten up."

"He is so getting his as-uh-butt kicked."

"Do you think about getting married?"  She asked quietly.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Of course I do.  But I thought you wanted to wait."

"I don't know.  What if…what if I don't want to wait anymore?"

Keith watched her, trying to absorb everything she had just said.  He wanted to marry her, there was no doubt of that, but was he ready?  She was still so young, was this what she really wanted?  He couldn't help but remember what Koran had told him about Allura believing in fairy tales and white knights.  Did she really want to get married or was this just another fairy tale she was hoping for?

"Keith?"

He smiled at her, "You want to get married?"

"Are you proposing to me?"

"Well, not officially.  Yet."

"Then you don't get an official answer…yet," she teased.

"I'm not going to ask you now," he told her, straightening the strap of her nightgown that had fallen, letting his finger linger, feeling the goosebumps on her cool, smooth skin.  "I'm going to wait for just the right time."

Allura pushed the blankets back and swung her legs over the side of her bed, "Well, you better not wait too long, I've had other offers you know."

Keith grabbed her arm and pulled her back onto the bed, "Excuse me?"

"I've been proposed to before, so don't make me wait too long," she giggled.

Keith pulled her roughly against him, "Don't threaten me, Princess."

"That wasn't a threat, Captain," she taunted.  "It was a fact."

Keith lowered his head, stopping a breath away from her lips, "You are such a tease."

"No more so than you are," she whispered back.

Keith jumped back and almost dumped Allura on the floor when there was a knock on the door.

"Princess!"  Nanny called out.  "Are you awake?"  
  


Allura's eyes widened, "Uh, yes, Nanny, give me a moment."  She jumped off the bed and grabbed Keith's hand.  "Quick, in the bathroom."

Keith stole a quick kiss before she shut the door. She grabbed her robe from the closet and threw it on while crossing to the door.

"Ach, Princess are you alright?  You look flushed.  Come, let me see if you're feverish."  Nanny rushed into the room carrying a small tray laden with a teacup and small teapot.

"No, Nanny, really, I'm fine.  Thank you for the coffee, I'll get dressed and be down for breakfast in a few minutes."  Allura tried to usher Nanny out the door.

"What is going on, Princess?"

"Nothing, I just want to get dressed and get on with the day.  Did you know Kadmus is coming today?"

"What?  No!  When did you hear about this?  I have to get a room together for him.  Why does Koran not tell me these things!"  Nanny threw her hands in the air and stormed to the door.  "How long have you known he was coming?"

"I found out last night, after the attack."

Nanny sighed loudly, "You are all on your own for breakfast.  I have so much to do."

"That's fine, Nanny, we can handle it, go do what you need to do."  Allura smiled, watching the older woman storm down the hall.  She shut and locked the door before calling, "Come on out, Keith."

He slipped from the bathroom, "Good idea, freaking her out about Kadmus' arrival."

"What can I say?  I know Nanny."

"Is that coffee I smell?"  He asked, hopefully, sitting on her bed pulling his boots on.

"Maybe."

"I really like coffee."

"I know you do."

He stuck his bottom lip out in a silly pout.

Allura laughed and rolled her eyes, "Fine, you can have some coffee."

Keith tipped the delicate teapot and poured the steaming hot liquid into the dainty teacup.  "We'll move practice to this afternoon, after you meet with Kadmus," he told her as he sipped the coffee.

"I'm sure none of the guys will argue."

"I'm going to shower and change and then I'll be in Castle Control if you need me," he crossed over to her.

She nodded, taking the teacup from him, "Don't forget to eat something."

He smiled at her, "Yes, Ma'am."

"Go," Allura shoved him towards the door.  "I have to get dressed."

"Do you need help?"

"Keith!"  Her cheeks reddened at his innuendo.  "Go."

He gave her a quick kiss before opening her door and sliding out.

"Hm, isn't dis suspicious looking?"

Keith looked up to see Sven. "Knock it off, Sven, it isn't what it looks like."

"So you aren't sneaking out of de Princess' room early in de morning, vearing de same clothes you vere vearing yesterday?"

"Nothing happened."

"Dat's a shame."

"Hey, what are you doing here, outside Romelle's room, this early in the morning?  Shouldn't you be in your room?"

Sven shrugged, "Let's just say it isn't vhat it looks like."

Keith smirked, "Well, that's a shame."

*****************************************************************

"Captain," Private Whitman called from the main console.

Keith quickly walked over, "Yes, Private?"

"A ship is entering Arusian airspace, asking for permission to land."

"Kadmus?"

"Yes, sir."

"Give him clearance to land on the main runway, we'll meet him on the tarmac."

Whitman saluted, "Yes, sir."

Keith returned the salute and turned to walk towards a more secluded area of the room.  He unclipped his communicator and dialed up Allura.

"Yes?"

"Hey there, beautiful," he greeted her.  

She grinned down at the small image of Keith in her communicator, "Hey there yourself, what's up?"

"Kadmus has just entered Arusian airspace, he should be landing within ten minutes."

"Are you in Castle Control?"

"Yes."

"Alright, I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

"I'll be waiting."

She smiled and shook her head before closing the communication.

"Ahem."

Keith turned to see Koran standing behind him.  "Koran."

"Captain."

"Kadmus is coming in for a landing as we speak.  I just told Allura, she'll be here momentarily."

"He's ahead of schedule."

"That's good," Keith said.  "The sooner he can help Allura, the better."

Koran nodded stiffly and turned to join Private Whitman at the main console.

The door slid open and Allura swept in, looking more rested and relaxed than she had in days.  At the sight of Keith, her face lit up.  He held a hand out to her and she quickly crossed the room to take it in hers.  

"You ready?"  Keith asked her.

"Yes, I want to get this over with."

Private Fforden approached the couple.  Although it was common knowledge that the Princess and the Captain were officially courting, it was still a little awkward for the staff to see them behaving so intimately.  "Uh, excuse me, Captain."

Keith turned to him, still holding Allura's hand, "Yes, Private?"

"Kadmus is landing, sir."

"Thank you," Keith turned back to Allura.  "Let's go."

Allura walked with him toward the door, feeling her heart race.  What was wrong with her?  What if Karmus couldn't help?

Koran joined them on the edge of the tarmac, as the ship touched down.  Allura stepped closer to Keith, he squeezed her hand reassuringly and kissed the top of her head.  Taking a deep breath, she let go of him and stepped forward to greet Kadmus as the gangplank lowered and the door opened.

The old wizard shuffled down to the tarmac, leaning heavily on his walking staff, a large satchel strapped across his chest.

"Kadmus, thank you so much for coming," Allura said graciously.

"I am always happy to help in any way I can," he assured her in his high pitched voice.

"We'll get you settled in, would you like something to eat?"

"Oh, I'm fine, Princess Allura," Kadmus laid a hand on her arm and quickly pulled it back.  "Oh my, I'll settle in later, we need to see to this right away."

The place where he had touched her arm tingled unpleasantly and Allura stared at it, perplexed.

Both Keith and Koran stepped forward at the same time, but Keith beat him to the punch.  "What is it?"

Kadmus looked up at him, a worried expression on his wrinkled, brown face.  "I can feel the evilness inside her, we must purge her soul of the power Hagger has over her."

Allura looked up at Keith with terrified eyes.  Wordlessly, he took her hand and pulled her close, "It'll be alright, Angel."  He had lowered his voice so only she heard him, but neither noticed how Kadmus smiled at the two of them.

"What do we need to do?"  Koran asked.

"I will need a few moments to prepare, preferably someplace where the Princess is comfortable, she may need to lie down afterwards."

"Her bedroom?"  Keith asked.

Kadmus nodded, "That will do."

"I'll show you the way," Koran said.

"Will you stay with me?"  Allura whispered to Keith.

"Of course I will."

"What if Kadmus won't let you?"

"Angel, he isn't _that_ powerful."

She smiled at him, "Thank you."

He studied her for a moment, absorbing every feature, the way her hair was pulled back into a bun, every hair in place, the light glinting off the circlet she wore.  Her cheeks were pink, her mouth slightly opened, and her eyes bright and watching him.  She was so beautiful.  He reached up and gently stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers.  Everything else melted away around him and all he saw was her and as far as he was concerned, that was all he needed.

"Ahem, uh, Cap?"

The trance was shattered and Keith looked up to see Hunk standing awkwardly in the doorway.  "Yeah, Hunk, what is it?"

"Kadmus asked that you and the Princess go on up to her room."

Keith nodded, "I don't want to be bothered unless it is an emergency, is that understood?"

Hunk nodded, "No problem, Cap."

"Well, let's go," Allura tugged at his hand.  "I want to get this over with."  
  


Kadmus had lit scented candles around the room, surrounding them with a scent similar to lavender, only sweeter.  Keith unconsciously wrinkled his nose, not liking the smell.  The old wizard was slowly walking around the bed sprinkling what looked like herbs from a small pouch on the floor around the bed while muttering under his breath.  The young couple stood just inside the door, watching him go about his work, Koran was no where to be seen.

Allura sucked in a breath and brought her hand up to press the heel of her palm to her temple.  It wasn't pain that she felt, it was something different, strange.  

Kadmus looked up at her.

"Allura?"  Keith whispered.

She shook her head, "I'm fine."

Kadmus nodded slowly and went back to his task of sprinkling the herbs around the room.

Koran hurried in past them, carrying what looked like a chafing dish and set it on her desk.  When Kadmus finished, he returned the small pouch he held to the satchel he had brought with him and pulled out three small, stone bottles.  He slowly crossed to the desk and poured various colored oils from the bottles into the chafing dish.  With a wave of his hand a small fire appeared beneath the dish and he mumbled a few low words.

The contrasting aromas of the candles and the simmering oils were making Keith a little dizzy.  He shook his head sharply, trying to clear his mind.  It didn't get any better when Kadmus motioned to Koran to close the door, sealing the scents in with them.

"Please sit, Princess," Kadmus indicated the two chairs in the corner of the room.

Allura slowly pulled her hand from Keith's and crossed the room.  The wizard sank into the chair across from her and took her hands in his.

"Do you understand what happened to you, your highness?"  He asked.

She shook her head, "No, not really."

"It is an old, internal spell, used only for evil.  Before I arrived I was told about that night when you entered your room thinking someone was here.  Someone _was_ here.  Haggar.  She, herself, is not inside you, but she was able to plant an image of herself within you.  I guess the best way to describe this is to say she is able to spy on you from within your mind, but then I guess you have already figured that out.  What we need to do is chase her from your mind, I can do it, but I will need you to fight her, without your help, I cannot do this.  Are you ready?"

Allura nodded, "Just do what you need to do."

He nodded and stood, walking behind her chair.  "Come here, Captain."

Keith looked at Koran, who nodded, and crossed to where Allura sat.  "What can I do?"

Kadmus nodded to the chair opposite Allura, "Sit and support."

He sat on the edge of the chair across from her and offered Allura a reassuring smile, taking her hands.

"Are you ready, Princess?"

Allura nodded.

Kadmus gently laid his hands on her head, closing his eyes and chanting in an alien language.

Keith felt Allura tighten her grip on his hands as her eyes closed and a gasp escaped her mouth.  He rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands, trying to calm her, to remind her he was there.

As soon as Kadmus laid his hands on top of her head, Allura felt intense heat and was afraid her head would explode with the pressure from within.  She knew Keith held her hands, but she could no longer feel his touch.  Kadmus started chanting, but the sound of his voice faded away and was replaced with a rushing noise.

"Princess Allura."  The witch hissed, appearing before her.

"No, Haggar."

Everyone in the room heard her murmur.

"This isn't over," Haggar assured her.

"Yes it is.  You don't have this power over me."

"Even if that fool, Kadmus, is able to expel me, I will be back."

"No, you won't."

Keith watched as Allura screwed up her face in concentration.  Her eyes were squeezed shut and he felt her nails bite into his skin as her hands clutched his.  Kadmus' hands began to tremble with the effort of helping her fight.  

Suddenly, Kadmus hissed angrily and ripped his hands from her head, taking a few strands of her hair with him.  A woosh of air swirled past them all and disappeared.

With a quiet sigh, Allura loosened her grip on Keith's hands and sat back against the chair, breathing heavily, her eyes still closed.

"Allura?"  Keith whispered.

She shook her head.

"Give her a moment," Kadmus said.  "She has worn herself out."

"Will she be alright?"  Koran asked.

"She'll be fine now."

Allura slowly opened her eyes.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"  Keith asked, leaning closer to her.

"Fine.  Really.  She's gone, I…I can feel it."  She smiled at him weakly.

"You are going to want to take it easy for the rest of the day," Kadmus told her.

"But, I feel fine," she insisted.  "I'm not tired or anything."

"It's alright," Keith told Kadmus.  "There isn't much going on right now, she should be able to take it easy."

"Keith," Allura said warningly.  She was growing increasingly annoyed with the way they were speaking as though she was a child, unable to care for herself.

Kadmus moved slowly throughout the room, extinguishing the candles.  "I want to keep the medicinal oils simmering for a little while yet, to cleanse the room of any lingering effects."

Allura nodded and stood, "How safe is it in here now?"

"You should be fine, now, Princess.  Just take the day to rest."

"But I feel fine.  I have work to do."

"Don't fight it, your highness," Koran said.  "There is nothing you need to attend to right now."

She sighed, frustrated.

Keith grinned at her, "Come on, Allura, take it easy."

Annoyance and anger bubbled up within her.  When would they realize that she was not a child?  She was a grown woman and could think for herself.  But any response she may have had was cut off by the sound of the castle alarms going off.

"Stay here," Keith told her.  "We have you covered."

"I can fly, Keith."

"That's an order, Allura."

She watched him and Koran rush from the room.  "Dammit!"  She swore loudly out of frustration.

Kadmus chuckled softly.


	29. For You Blue

Hi all,

I just read the new rules about not posting lyrics, and so I am clearing up some of my fics and removing the song lyrics. The title of this chapter and the some Keith refers to is "For You Blue" by the Beatles. Very sweet lyrics, check it out.

Enjoy,

Failte

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Keith raced into Castle Control, pushing all worries of Allura to the back of his mind. She was safe now, in the castle with Kadmus and Koran. "What is it?"

Hunk, Pidge, Lance, and Sven were already there when he and Koran entered Castle Control.

"Guess," Lance said wryly.

Keith nodded curtly, "Sven, can you help us out? Allura needs to rest now."

"No problem, Keit."

"Alright, to your Lions."

Allura paced her room, hearing the sounds of the Lions taking off and feeling even angrier.

"He is only looking out for your best interests," Kamdus said quietly.

"Yes, well, maybe I am sick of being looked after," she told him, storming from her room. Later she would feel bad and apologize to the wizard for her rudeness, but as it was she was too irritated to care. At a loss as to what else to do, she entered Castle Control to watch the fight.

Voltron had things well under control. It was yet another robeast who had managed to knock down a few trees and had left a large footprint in what was going to be the park just outside of Alforia. The two giant robots were locked together in hand-to-hand combat. Allura watched the monitors as Keith called out commands and directed his men. She longed to be out there, in the midst of the battle and gritted her teeth at the memory of Keith forbidding her. What right did have to forbid her? Okay, so he was the commander of the Voltron Force, but she outranked him as the ruling monarch. She felt fine, but he didn't believe her, instead he patted her on the head and sent her on her was as though she was a small child.

"Princess?" Koran stood beside her.

"Yes?"

"Shouldn't you be resting?"

She took in a sharp breath to prevent herself from saying something to her advisor that she would regret later. Instead, she watched as Voltron formed the Blazing Sword and brought it down on the evil beast, destroying it. After the Lions separated and returned to their hideouts, Allura turned to the man next to her, "I am going to be in my study, I want a complete report of all damages as soon as you have it."

He looked at her skeptically, but wisely chose not to argue, "Yes, your highness."

Keith and the others entered Castle Control just as the door slid shut behind the Princess.

"Was that Allura?" Keith asked.

Koran nodded.

"What is she doing up?"

Taking pity on the young commander, Koran turned to him, "She's upset."

"What?"

"She's upset."

"I couldn't let her fly after what just happened."

"I know and I agree."

"Where is she?"

"She went to her study."

Keith nodded, he had hoped to speak to Kadmus and was debating who he wanted to speak to, thinking that an angry girlfriend should probably be appeased first. "When will the damage report be ready?"

Koran looked down at the monitor, "Ten minutes for the preliminary."

The commander nodded, "I'll take it to her when I come back."

"Yes, Captain."

Keith walked swiftly across the room, hoping to speak quickly with Kadmus. He found the old wizard in the hallway outside Allura's room. "Kadmus."

"Captain. I take things went well out there?"

"Yes, they did. But I'm more worried about what's going on in here."

Kadmus nodded, "The Princess will be fine, Captain. I am planning to stay a couple of more days to make sure, but it was a simple extraction of a curse, she will be fine."

Keith nodded, still not totally convinced, "There won't be any linger effects?"

"Only if I didn't do my job properly."

Keith was not about to accuse Kadmus of shoddy work, "Should she be resting?"

"The Princess is the only one who really knows what is going on within her body and we have to listen to what she says."

"But she is so stubborn, she doesn't always listen to her body," Keith muttered.

Kadmus chuckled, "You need to trust the Princess' decisions."

"Thank you, Kadmus, once again for your help. And I really appreciate the fact that you're staying."

"Anything for Princess Allura."

Keith nodded, "I have to take the damage report to her, please let me know if there is anything you need or if there is anything I can do for you."

The old wizard smiled kindly, "I will, Captain, thank you."

With another quick nod to Kadmus, Keith turned to return to Castle Control. He knew Allura was upset because she couldn't fly, but that was just something she was going to have accept. He was the commander of the Force and when they were in battle, he was in charge. And that meant making difficult and, sometimes, unpopular decisions. She had to know that, as the ruler of Arus she had been forced to do the same.

"Is the report ready?" Keith asked, entering Castle Control.

"Another moment, Captain," Koran told him.

While he waited, Keith scanned the room. Hunk and Sven were helping Koran with the damage report while Lance and Pidge were no where to be seen.

"It doesn't appear to be as bad as it looked," Koran said, handing him a printout.

Keith skimmed it, a few trees had been knocked down and there were some damage done to the ground. But no buildings had been hit and there were no casualties.

"I'll take this to Allura."

The older man nodded, "That's fine, Captain. Good luck."

Keith looked up, surprised, "Good luck?"

Koran nodded, "You'll need it."

Feeling rather apprehensive, Keith left Castle Control and walked quickly down the hall. He was beginning to feel more than a little annoyed. She was behaving like a child. How could they work together if she was going to throw a temper tantrum every time he had to do something she didn't like? She had to understand why he did it.

Stopping outside her door, he took a deep breath to calm himself. Nothing good would come of this if he walked in there angry.

"Who is it?" She called when he knocked.

"It's me, Allura, I have the preliminary damage report."

"Come in."

He couldn't help but notice how clipped her tone was.

She was sitting behind her desk, bent over a report, her hair tied back in a hasty ponytail and her forehead furrowed in concentration. Whatever irritation he had been feeling melted away when he saw her. He felt the urge to rub his thumb between her eyebrows and smooth the line of concentration that appeared there. Allura was under a lot of pressure, sometimes it was going to be too much for her, he had to understand that.

"Hey."

She looked up at the sound of his greeting. "Keith."

"I have the preliminary report, it isn't as bad as it looked. It will just take some time to clean it up."

Allura held her hand out for the printout and scanned it, letting out a sigh of relief. "I'm so glad no one was hurt."

"We were lucky."

She nodded, setting the paper down in front of her and crossing her hands over it, she looked up at him. "Yes, we were."

Keith sighed and leaned on the side of her desk, "Allura, I don't want you to push yourself, you can take the day to rest."

"I don't need to rest, Keith, I am fine, I swear it. Why don't you believe me?"

"I do."

"Keith, I have been doing this for years," she stood and stepped in front of him. "I have ruled this planet and fought Doom. I am not helpless."

"I know…"

"No, you don't. I understand and appreciate the fact that you and the rest of the Force have taken on the job of my protection, but you can't keep me in a cage."

"We're not…"

"I am not going to break, Keith. If we're going to make this work, I need you to see me as a partner, not someone you need to protect and shield." Her voice rose angrily. "Do you have any idea how frustrating this is for me? I need you to treat me like you treat everyone else."

"But you aren't like everyone else," he exploded. "_I_ need _you_ to understand where I am coming from. You are not like everyone else. You are the ruler of the planet and you have an evil man after you. You are the last in your lineage and if anything happened to you, what would happen to Arus? And you are…you are the woman I love."

She sighed deeply and took a step closer to him, "I understand, Keith, I do. But I can't let you keep me under lock and key. I have a planet to run and protect and I will do what needs to be done. If you want our relationship to work, I need your support."

"I do support you, Allura, but I also need your cooperation."

"Why do I feel like we're butting heads on this?"

"Because we are."

She nodded her head sadly before turning and walking to the window behind her desk. Before they had put Keith's study in the room across the hall, Allura had had her desk turned so it faced the door, claiming the view was distracting. The two of them worked quite often with their doors open and she often found the view across the hall even more distracting.

The lake and the woods were visible from this window. She could see a few of the fallen trees and one of the giant indentations made by the foot of the robeast. A couple of days earlier they had cleaned up the crushed rose bushes that had been destroyed in the last attack, it had broken her heart a little to see them.

"Allura."

He had moved so he was standing right behind her.

"Keith, you need to be able to separate your feelings. When it comes to defending my planet, I am not your girlfriend, I am a member of the Voltron Force," she said, not turning from the window.

"I like to think I do that."

She turned and looked up at him, "Why wouldn't you let me fly today?"

"Well, because Kadmus said you needed rest."

"He said I _might_ need rest. And why would you listen to him over me?"

Keith shrugged uncomfortably, "You looked so pale and…"

"But I told you I was fine."

He raised his gaze over her head and looked out over the lake.

"Keith," she reached up and cupped his face, forcing him to look down at her. "I am not as fragile as you seem to think I am."

"You're the strongest woman I know," he whispered.

"Then I need you to start treating me like that."

He looked down at her. She was so small and delicate, he couldn't help but worry about her. He wanted to take her away, to remove all the stresses and battles, hide her away, keep her safe. But he knew she would never stand for that. And he would never want her to change who she was. It was her strength, her independence and her spirit that he had first fallen in love with.

"Keith, I don't want to fight you on this, I _can't_ fight you on this."

"I don't want to fight you, either."

"So what are we going to do?"

He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers, "I'm sorry for not believing you."

"I know you are, Keith, but will you remember this for next time."

"I will," he promised, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "If I don't, you have my permission to smack me."

She chuckled and returned his hug.

"But I also want you to understand that if I am a little overprotective of you, it's because I don't know what I would do if anything ever happened to you."

Allura tilted her head back to look up at him, "I know how you feel because I feel the same way. Maybe I want to be over protective of you."

He raised an eyebrow, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. Maybe I want to shield you sometime or stop you from entering a battle."

"So you want to emasculate me?"

She smiled, "I could never do that, you are the sexist, manly man I've ever known."

"Manly man?"

"Yup, manly man," Allura laid her head on his chest. "Did we just have our first fight?"

He rested his chin on her head, "No, we used to fight all the time."

"Before we started dating."

"All that pent up sexual tension."

Allura felt the heat rise to her face.

Keith smiled at her awkward silence, "I'm not going to ask you how you feel now or if you want to rest…"

"Thank you."

"But I did want to tell you that Kadmus is going to stay for a couple of days, just to make sure everything is alright."

"Good."

"Can I ask you something, not as an over protective, smothering dolt, but out of curiosity?"

Allura looked up at him and smiled, "Of course."

"How do you know she's gone?"

"I just do. I don't really know how to explain it. I guess I didn't realize she was there until she was gone."

"Well, I'm glad you're back to normal," he admitted, tugging the tie from her hair and watching it fall around her shoulders.

"So am I."

With a slight smile on his lips, Keith lowered his head, but stopped when his lips were just a breath away from hers, "I love you."

She grinned, "Love you too, you big, sexy, manly man."

His laughter made it hard from him to complete the kiss so he moved to rest his forehead on her shoulder, "Where did you learn that?"

"I guess you guys have been a bad influence on me," she said, kissing his temple.

Keith groaned when a knock on the door interrupted their moment. "Who is it?"

"It's me, Cap," Lance called back.

He reluctantly let her go and crossed the room to open the door, "This better be good, Lieutenant."

Lance held out a two page printout, "The full damage report." He held out his other hand, "And the song you asked for."

Keith took the music disc, confused, "What song?"

"You came to me a while ago and asked me to find the song with the line in it 'Because you're sweet and lovely girl, I love you'? It took me a while, but I found it."

Recognition dawned on him, "Ah, thanks Lance, I appreciate it."

Lance lowered his voice so Allura couldn't hear him, "Good choice, man, maybe next time Sven catches you sneaking out of the Princess' room early in the morning, it will look like what it looks like and something might have happened."

"Thank you, Lance," Keith growled. "And tell Sven that he had better learn to keep his mouth shut or I will make sure he's kicked off the planet."

Lance laughed as the door was shut in his face.

"What is it?" Allura asked, pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

"Full damage report," Keith dropped it on her desk. "And a little something for you."

"For me?"

"Yes," Keith walked over to the small stereo on the bookshelf and slipped the disc in. "Remember our first date…"

"How could I forget?"

"And I told you about a song…"

"Yes."

"Lance found the song."

"Oh, play it, I want to hear it."

Keith pushed play and the quick sound of a bluesy guitar filled the room, followed soon after by sweet lyrics. Allura smiled as the meaning of the words sunk in.

"You thought of those words when you were with me?" She whispered.

"Yeah, that about sums it all up, girl," Keith told her.

"Okay," she ran over and threw her arms around his neck. "I take back everything mean I said or thought, you can be as over protective as you want."

He laughed, "Don't worry, I won't hold you to that."

_"How is it that even your fights end really romantically?" Darcy sighed._

_"Hey, our fights end romantically," Lance said._

_Hunk snorted, "Your fights end hot and sweaty."_

_Paton__ smacked his arm, "Hunk, stop it."_

_"Oh, we've had our share of fights," Allura grinned. "It adds a little spice to our relationship."_

_"But I take it things were better after that?" Becca asked._

_Keith nodded, "I kept in mind what Allura had said and she was right, we were all being too over protective. But you can't really blame us, I mean, Lotor was after her, we were at war."_

_"But we trained her well," Lance said proudly. "She could kick the ass of anyone who tried anything with her."_

_"That's right, swear again and I'll prove it on you," she warned._

_"So does this lead to Keith's proposal?" Paton asked._

_"Well, first, Allura had to meet the family," Keith explained. "Things began to lighten up a bit, our battles were fewer and far between. So we invited my mother, my brother and his wife, and my sister to visit…_


	30. Nervous Anticipation

The bright Arusian sun shone down on the fields and reflected off the majestic Castle of Lions.  Allura sat back on her knees, taking in the scene around her.  It had been two weeks since their last battle and all the clean up had been completed.  Lotor had been injured in the last battle and they had received some Intel telling them that things were quiet on Doom while he recuperated.  

She and Keith were out in the garden replanting the roses that had been destroyed by a robeast in a previous battle.  Three bushes had been destroyed, but Keith had ordered another half a dozen bushes, knowing how much she enjoyed them.  Hunk and Lance had been helping them, half an hour earlier Keith had told them they could go.  There were only two more bushes to plant and they were both complaining about hunger pains.  

Allura watched as Keith tore into the dirt with a shovel, digging the final hole.  He had taken his shirt off earlier and his well defined muscles were glistening with a fine sheen of sweat.  More than once he had caught her watching him and responded with a sly smile and a wink.  

She knew he was upset.  Romelle was going to return to Pollux the next day and Sven had announced that he was going to accompany her.  They had all known it would eventually come to this, but it had still hit Keith pretty hard.  He had hoped Sven would stay on Arus, even if he had been honorably discharged from the Garrison, he could have stayed on with the Aursian military as a consultant.  But it was obvious to them all that he could not be away from Romelle and it was selfish to think they could convince Sven otherwise.

"So are you just going to sit there all day and let me do all the work?"

Allura looked up at the sound of Keith's teasing voice.  He was leaning on the handle of the shovel and watching her.  "Sorry," she mumbled, standing, holding the root covered ball of soil under a pink rose bush.

"What's on your mind?"  He asked, kneeling beside her to help her loosen the roots and settle it into the hole he had dug.

"A lot."

"Want to be more specific?"

She helped him push the dirt down into the hole, around the bush.  "Things have been quiet."

"Yeah, let's see how long that lasts."

"I was thinking about the time I spoke with your mother, I had extended an invitation to her to come and visit.  Do you think now would be a good time to invite her?"

Keith settled back so he was crouching beside her, "That could be fun.  I would love for her to meet you."

Allura didn't meet his eyes as she touched a small bud just starting to develop, "I want to meet her too, and your brother and sister.  I miss having a family of my own."

He pulled a glove off and reached up to rub at a smudge of dirt on her cheek with his thumb, "You have a family, Angel.  It might not be a typical family, but you have Koran and Nanny and the guys on the Force and me."

She smiled up at him, "I know, sweetie, and I love you, but it, well, it isn't quite the same."

"Well," he sat down, pulling her down in front of him.  "My family is your family.  Of course, once you get to know them, you might change your mind."

Allura smiled, "Come on, they aren't that bad."

"You're only saying that because you never had an older brother who sat on you and made you eat dirt."

"He did?"

"Well, he was ten and I was four, he hasn't actually done that in a while.  And you never had a younger sister who used to put makeup on you while you slept."

Allura giggled, "I bet you were pretty."

"If by pretty you mean pretty sexy, then yeah, I was."

Her eyes drifted down and back up, taking him all in, "You still are, Handsome."

"Why, your highness, if I didn't know better, I would think you were hitting on me," he teased, taking her hand.

"No, a proper Princess would never be so forward."

"Then I guess it's a good thing you're not a proper Princess," he whispered, closing the gap between them.

Allura had seen him shirtless before, but she had not embraced him, caressed him.  His muscles were taunt, his body hard.  She couldn't help the gasp that escaped as she slid her hands over his chest and around his shoulders.  Keith pulled her closer, pressing his lips against hers hoping to gain further access.  With a sigh, he released her mouth to move to her ear, kissing and whispering sweet endearments.  Allura closed her eyes and gently stroked his back, allowing him to surround her completely, to slowly lower her to the soft grass beneath him.

They were so lost in each other, neither heard the approaching footsteps.

"So this is why you dismissed us."

Keith groaned and rolled off Allura, looking up at Lance, "What do you want?"

Lance grinned, stuffing his hands in his pockets and rocking back on his heels, "Nanny wanted me to tell you guys to head in and wash up for supper.  She's planning something big for Sven and Romelle's last night."

"And you couldn't call me on my communicator?"

"Nah, this was more fun."

Keith scowled at him, "Fine, we'll be in in a moment."

Lance nodded and winked at Allura before turning to head back to the Castle, whistling lightly.

Allura rolled onto her side and propped her head up on her hand, looking down at him, "You okay?"

"I'm fine," he said, unconvincingly.

She gave into her urge to touch him and laid her hand on his chest, feeling it rise and fall.  "Pollux isn't that far away, we'll see them all the time."  
  


"I know."

"I don't want Romelle to leave either."

He took the hand she had laid on his chest and brought it to his lips, kissing her fingers gently, "I know, baby."

"This is what's best for both of them."

Keith nodded.

"Maybe I can help you get through this."

He grinned at her, "I know you can."

"Come on," she sat up, tugging on his hand.  "Let's go call your mother."

"Well, that isn't exactly what I had in mind," he mumbled.

***********************************************************************

"It still seems strange not having you here.  How are you settling in?"  Allura sat in her study, talking to Romelle on the videophone.  It was two weeks since Sven and Romelle had gone to Pollux.

"I miss you guys too and I know Sven does as well, but we're settling in fine.  It was a little uncomfortable at first, there are a lot of bad memories here, but it is so wonderful to be home again and with Bandor and Sven."

"Sven is settling in well too?"

"Oh yes," Romelle grinned at her cousin.  "He is working with Bandor to rebuild Pollux's military and he is loving every minute of it.  I think he just needed to feel helpful again."

"That's wonderful.  It sounds like going to Pollux was the best thing for you guys."

"It was.  I can't believe how much work needs to be done to build it back up.  Doom pretty much destroyed the planet."

Allura sighed, "Yes, we were attacked two days ago and part of the school was knocked down.  With the continuing attacks, it is going to take us forever to finish rebuilding."

"So, when is Keith's family supposed to arrive?"

"First thing in the morning."

"You nervous?"

Allura rolled her eyes, "Terrified."

"Oh come on," Romelle laughed.  "You've spoken to his mother before."

"Yes and she's very nice, but this is different.  She's coming here, she'll see where Keith lives, what he does.  What if she doesn't like me?  What if she doesn't like him living here?  What if…"

"What if the moon fell from the sky and landed on the castle," Romelle interrupted.  "You're being silly.  Keith loves you and so will his family."

"How do you know?"  Allura's voice rose slightly.  "You don't know them.  What if his brother and sister hate me?"

"What if they love you?"

"What if they think his staying here is too dangerous and they want him to go home to Terra?"  
  


"He won't leave you."

"What if…"  
  


"Allura stop it!"

She let out a breath, "Sorry, Romelle, I know I'm being silly.  This is a first for me and I'm nervous.  What about you?  When are you going to meet Sven's parents?"

"We haven't set any plans, I've spoken to his parents a couple of times and they're wonderful people.  They were so thrilled that he was alive, I think they'll accept anyone he brings home."  Romelle stopped and looked over her shoulder.  "I'm speaking to Allura."

Sven appeared beside Romelle in the screen, he looked healthy and happy.  "Allura, how are you?"

"I'm great Sven…"  
  


"No she isn't," Romelle interrupted.  "She's stressing out about meeting Keith's family."

"You have noting to vorry about, Allura.  Isabelle is a vonderful woman and Dana is a very sveet girl."  Sven assured her.

"What about Gerald?"

Sven grinned, "He's a nice guy.  A bit of a smart aleck, but a nice guy.  He'll most likely vant to embarrass Keit."

"That could be fun," Allura mused.

He laughed, "Dey vill love you, you have noting to vorry about."

"Thank you, Sven."

"But, ve have to go.  Ve are meeting Bandor and a group of possible investors about de rebuilding of de planet."

Allura smiled and nodded, "Of course.  It was wonderful talking to you both again.  Good luck with your meeting."

"Thank you Allura," Romelle responded.  "Good luck tomorrow, I can't wait to hear what happens.  Call me as soon as you can."

"I will."

Sven rolled his eyes, "You vill be fine.  Good bye, Allura.  Tell de guys I said Hi."

"Will do, good bye Sven."  Allura shut the connection, feeling better.  She missed Romelle terribly.  As much as she loved Keith and the others, it just wasn't the same.  With a sigh, she turned on her stereo and went to work going over the proposals the city planners had sent her.

Keith stopped outside Allura's door and grinned.  He could hear the faint strains of 'For You Blue' coming through the door.  Ever since Lance had brought them the disk, he often heard her playing it when she was alone.  Noticing the door wasn't locked, Keith slid it open and walked in.

Allura jumped in her seat when the door opened and dropped the pocket mirror she was holding.  "You could have knocked," she said sharply.

"I could have, but I like surprising you," he said, shutting and locking the door behind him.

She leaned down and picked up the mirror, "Maybe I don't want to be surprised."

"What did I interrupt?"

"Nothing."

"You're blushing."

"No I'm not."  
  


Keith leaned on the edge of her desk, "Yes you are.  What were you doing?"

Feeling foolish, Allura picked a strand of hair up off her shoulder and held it out in front of her face, "Do you think I should get my hair cut?"

"No."

She swept her hair up, "You sure?  I think I'd look older with it shorter."

"No."  
  


"Why?"

He took her hands and pulled her to her feet in front of him, "I like it long."  He ran his hands through her hair, feeling it slide silkily through his fingers.  "What's with the sudden need for change?"

Allura closed her eyes and relaxed against him, feeling his fingers run through her hair and massage her scalp.  Her body grew progressively limper as the stress she had been feeling was released from her body.  "Hm?"

He chuckled, wrapping his arms around her.  "You're beautiful, Allura, you don't need to change."

She tilted her head back to look at him, "Thank you."

"Are you still nervous about tomorrow?"

Her cheeks darkened, "What are you talking about?  I'm not nervous."

Keith brought his hand up to tuck her hair behind her ear, letting his hand linger on her cheek.  "You can't lie to me, Allura."

"What if they don't like me?"  She whispered, feeling foolish.

"Then I'll put them on the next ship off this planet and wave goodbye."

She gasped, "Keith, that's terrible!"

He laughed, "They will love you almost as much as I do."

"I want to do this right, Keith.  I want them to like me and the castle and Arus."

Keith would have laughed if she wasn't being so serious.  "Allura, honey, I have seen you fight robeasts and Lotor.  I have seen you at balls dealing with Princes and working with various town elders and royalty from other planets.  But I have never, _never_, seen you nervous like this."

"Nothing has been this important to me," she admitted quietly.

  
"More important than when we get married?"

Her eyes widened, "Are you proposing?"

"Not yet."

"You have got to stop doing that."

With a smile, Keith lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers.  "I have to keep you on your toes."

Allura's lips curved into a flirtatious smile, "Keep it up, Captain, and I will just have to accept the proposal of some Prince."

He brought his hand up into her hair, fisting it tightly, while wrapping his other arm around her waist, "I don't think you should threaten me, Princess."

"It wasn't a threat," she purred.

Tugging at her hair, he tilted her head back so he could look straight down at her.  His voice was low when he spoke, "If I so much as see you speaking to a Prince, I will make sure he'll never be able to walk straight again."

She smiled at him, "Now, now, let's not get violent."

He tightened his arm around her waist so she was held firm against him, "Is that an order?"

"Yes," she whispered, wrapping her arms around him, stroking his back.

Keith dropped his forehead against hers and closed his eyes, "I love you."

"I love you too, honey."

"And my mother is going to love you too.  She already thinks you're a lovely girl."

"She does?"

"Yes, she said that when she spoke to you, you seemed like such a lovely girl and you carry yourself so well."

"I carry myself well?"

He opened his eyes, noticing that they were so close her face was out of focus.  "Yes, you impressed her."

"What about your brother and sister?"  
  


Keith lifted his head and shrugged, "Who cares?"

"Keith."

"You don't have to worry about impressing anyone.  You are so amazing, you have nothing to worry about.  Now, if you continue on with this whining, I will have no choice but to break up with you."

Allura's eyes widened, "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," he let go of her and walked around the desk.  "If you don't stop with this nonsense I will just have to break up with you to spare you the awkwardness of meeting my family and spare me the agony of having to put up with your whining."

She gasped and put her hands on her hips, "How dare you!  I am not whining!"

"Well, no, now you're yelling," he teased.

A smirk crossed her lips, "Then say goodbye to this, Captain," she held her arms out and struck a seductive pose.

Keith crossed his arms and raked his gaze over her, "Hm, well, I guess I can deal with your whining if I get your body."

"Keith!"  She crossed her arms over her chest and blushed brilliantly.  

He laughed and held out his hand for her, "Come on, it's almost time for supper, you don't want Nanny sending out the troops looking for you."

*********************************************

Allura did not get a lot of sleep that night. Deep down, a voice of reason told her that she was being silly.  She had spoken to Keith's mother on the videophone and she had been nothing but nice.  And it wasn't as though she was going into this alone, Keith was going to be at her side the whole time.  That thought alone made her breathe easier.

With a sigh, she rolled onto her side.  She had only picked at her food at dinner, eating a few bites when Keith made it known that he would not let her leave until she ate something, even if he had to sit on her to keep her there.  It was two in the morning and she was still awake.  Nanny used to tell her that even if she wasn't sleeping, it was important that she rest, so Allura continued to toss and turn, pretending to get rest.  After fifteen more minutes of staring at her clock, she came to the realization that if she couldn't sleep, she shouldn't be the only one.

When Keith answered his communicator, he sounded hoarse, but alert, "Whitaker."

"Hi, Keith."

"Allura?"  He sat upright, clutching the small device.  "What's wrong?  Where are you?"

"I'm in my room and I can't sleep."

"What?"

"I'm in my room and I can't sleep," she repeated.

"But you're alright?"

"Yes."

Keith sighed and rubbed his hand over his face, "What do you want, Allura?"

"I can't sleep."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Allura, honey, lay down, close your eyes, relax your body, and concentrate on slowing your breathing.  Sleep will come."

"I tried that."

 "Did you try reading?"

"Yes."

"Did you try watching something on your televiewer?"

"Yes."

"So you decided to wake me."

"Yes."

"Misery loves company, huh?"

Allura pouted prettily and studied his disheveled image in her communicator, "What if your family gets bored?  They're going to be here a week and we're still rebuilding, there isn't much to do."

"Alright, Allura, at first this was cute, now, well, now it's not anymore.  They will not get bored, they will love you, and we will all have a good time.  I promise you.  If they don't, then you can hold me personally responsible."

"Sorry."

He smiled softly, "Go to sleep, Allura."

"I'll try."

**************************************************

Insistent knocking shook Allura from her dreamless sleep.  She looked at the clock to see it was 5:30, half an hour before she had to get up for practice.  Thinking it was Nanny, she pushed the blankets off and padded over to the door.

"Good morning, Beautiful," Keith greeted her.

She looked at him, confused, "What?"

"Good morning," he swept past her into the room, carrying the small tray of coffee that Nanny usually brought her.

"What are you doing here?"  Allura yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"Bringing you coffee," he set the tray on her desk and turned to look at her.  She wore a nightgown that covered her from throat to ankle in soft white.  Her hair was mussed and she rubbed one eye while focusing on him with the other.  His heart did a strange lurch and he fought the urge to reach out and grab her.  "I take it you finally got some sleep."

She yawned again and nodded.

"Good," he sat on her desk chair, poured a cup of coffee and held it out to her.  "Are you feeling better?"

She took the coffee and sat on his knees, "I'm sorry if I've been overreacting, but I've had a stomachache ever since your mother said she would come."

"Need I remind you that it was your idea to invite her?"  He asked, bringing his hand up to rub gentle circles on her back.

"I know."

He took the coffee from her and sipped, "And if I can survive Koran, you can survive my mother."

"How did you get Nanny to let you come this morning?  Does she know you're in my room?"

"She's busy with preparations.  Since they're arriving around lunch, she's overacting as much as you are.  She actually asked me to bring this to you."

"Really?"

"Well, she asked me to drop it off, not to stay."

Allura leaned against him, "I'm glad you did."

He dropped a kiss on her forehead, "It's time you go dress.  After practice, you'll only have about five hours before they arrive to get dressed, do your hair and make yourself look perfect."

"Perfect?"

"Yeah, I can't let you embarrass me."

"Oh!" Her mouth fell open in disbelief as she stood.

"I'm kidding," Keith laughed.  "I'm kidding.  If anything, I'm more worried about them embarrassing me."

_{{  "Come on!"  Allura interrupted.  "This is ridiculous!  I was not that bad."_

_"No, you were worse," Lance told her._

_Hunk chuckled, "We were waiting for you to explode you were so full of nervous energy."_

_"And it was all your idea," Keith pointed out._

_Allura sighed, "I don't remember it being that bad."_

_"You wanted to recarpet the rec room," Pidge said._

_Lance laughed, "And repaint the front hall and Observation Deck."_

_"How did it go?"  Becca asked.  "It wasn't that bad, was it?"_

_"Well, Dana had changed a bit and she was going through a phase," Keith told her.  "And of course Ger and Allyson brought their sons, Adam and Ben were real young, and having them here kick started Allura's biological clock."_

_Allura turned to Becca, "You should have seen Adam, he was four and he looked like a little Keith, I wanted one of my own."_

_"Yeah, he was cute," Lance mumbled.  "Until he got his hands on Red's key and tried to flush it down the toilet."_

_"He just took after his father," Keith said._

_"It didn't go at all as I had imagined it," Allura told them.  "Keith's mother is wonderful…}}_


	31. First Impressions

Hi all!  
  


Once again, sorry for the delay, but this time I can't blame my computer.  I've tried for a couple of days now to post this chapter, but FF.net has been a bit wacky.

Anyway, thank you so much for the reviews.  

RedLion2 ~ Thank you!  I'm so glad you picked up on the humor and the way Keith was starting to get irritated in the end.  It was a fun chapter to write and I'm glad you enjoyed it.

  
Dee ~ Thank you so much for your continuing support. 

Enjoy,

Failte.

*************************************************************

Keith checked his watch again.  He was standing in Castle Control, waiting on word from the Garrison ship bringing his family in.  

"Any sign of them yet?"  Lance asked as he sauntered into the room.

Keith shook his head, "No, they should have been here ten minutes ago."

"Don't worry, Cap, I'm sure they're fine.  I bet they got held up with some Garrison crap before they even took off."

He shrugged, "They did take off fifteen minutes late, but I allowed for that when I figured their arrival time.  If there was a problem, they would have contacted us by now."

The door slid open and the two men turned to see Allura sweep in, her head held high and any nerves she had felt earlier were either gone completely or very well hidden.

"Wow," Lance breathed.  

"Yeah," Keith agreed.  "You look amazing, Allura."

She smiled and twirled in front of them, the long, full pink skirt of her dress fell gracefully to the tops of her shoes.  It was one of her more formal gowns, with a fitted bodice that left her shoulders bare and long sleeves that ended at a point on the back of her hands.  Her hair was swept up in an elaborate twist with her elegant circlet resting atop her golden head.  

"Am I overdressed?"  She asked, taking in the casual clothes the guys were wearing.

Keith looked down at his black slacks and red shirt.  "No, more likely we're underdressed."

"You look beautiful," Lance assured her.

She smiled at him, "Thank you."

"Captain."

Keith turned to Koran, "Yes?"  
  


"A Garrison ship has entered Arusian airspace and requested permission to land.  They should touch down within ten minutes."

"Thank you," he turned to Allura.  "Shall we go meet them?"

She nodded and laid her hand in the crook of his arm.

"You really do look amazing," Keith whispered when the door shut behind them and they headed toward to tarmac.

"Thank you," she replied shyly.

"You don't seem as nervous."

She threw her head back, "I am terrified, my heart is racing a mile a minute."

"You'd never know."

"Years of proper training have taught me how to hide my emotions."

Keith stopped and pulled her to a halt with him, "What?"

Allura looked up at him earnestly, "It's important as a ruler and a leader to be able to hide my emotions when I need to.  You should be able to understand that."

"I do, I just never thought you would have to do that too."

"I've had to do it for years, Keith."

"Promise me you won't do it with me."

"What?"

"Promise me you won't put up this façade with me.  You'll always be straightforward with me."

She nodded, "As long as you promise to do the same with me."

Keith took her hand from his arm and clasped it in his, "You don't need to put on an act, they're going to love you."

"I'm not putting on an act, I just feel a little better like this, more in control."

"Whatever makes you feel better, Angel."  Keith leaned down and kissed her gently, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

"Come on, lets get this over with," he tugged on her hand and they crossed to the tarmac.  

The two of them watched in silence as the ship descended.  Allura stepped closer to Keith, feeling him reassuringly squeeze her hand.  The door slid open and a gangplank lowered.  They heard his mother before they saw her.

  
"Adam!  No!  Don't run, come back here!"

"I got him, Ma!"

A little, dark haired boy raced down the gangplank, laughing, followed closely by Gerald, Keith's older brother.  "Come back here, Adam."  He stooped and scooped up his soon.  "You have to listen to Daddy and Grandma, Adam, or we will go back to Terra right now."

"I see he's just as difficult as you were," Keith commented.

Gerald looked up and grinned, "Keith, it's great to see you."

The brothers shared a quick hug, as Isabelle and Allyson Whitaker exited the ship, Allyson carrying her youngest son, Ben.

  
Allura took in the visitors as they greeted Keith.  Gerald took after their mother with dark auburn hair and softer features than Keith had.  The two brothers had the same build and the same eyes.  Allyson was a lovely young woman with dark brown hair and almond shaped green eyes.  Adam looked as though he could have been Keith's son with his dark hair and large brown eyes whereas Ben had light hair and his mother's green eyes.  Isabelle was a handsome woman, nearly as tall as her sons with auburn hair and the same large brown eyes her sons had.

"Allura."

She looked at Keith, his voice shaking her out of her reverie.  

"Come here, I want to introduce you," he held his hand out to her.  "Mom, Ger, Allyson, this is Allura.  Allura, my mother, my brother Gerald, his wife Allyson and their two troublemakers, Adam and Ben."

"I ain' no troublemaker!"  Adam insisted, struggling in his father's arms.

"It's lovely to finally meet you in person, dear," Isabelle said kindly.

At a loss as to what else to do, Allura curtsied deeply, "It's a pleasure to meet you as well, Ma'am."

Keith hid a smile behind his hand.

"No need for such formalities, dear, come here."  Isabelle pulled her into an embrace.

Allura felt her heart race.  It was a comforting, maternal hug, soft and warm.  Isabelle held her tightly, patting her back, before letting go and holding her at arm's length, examining her.

"You are such a beauty, Allura, and I cannot wait to sit down and talk to you."

"Uh, thank you, Ma'am, I look forward to getting to know you better as well."

"Please, call me Isabelle."

"Alright…Isabelle."

"Allura," Gerald slung an arm over her shoulders.  "It's so nice to finally meet the woman who can get my workaholic brother to turn away from his assignments."

"It's not always easy," she admitted.

"Okay, let's not turn this into a pick-on-Keith visit," Keith interrupted.  "Where's Dana?"

"She was asleep," Allyson told him.  "She should be out in a moment."

"Prepare yourselves," Gerald whispered.  "She's going through a phase."  
  


Keith raised an eyebrow, "A phase?"

Isabelle waved Gerald away, "She's rebelling a bit, its nothing.  She will grow out of it."

"But she still has her crush on Lance," Gerald grinned.

"She has a crush on Lance?"  Allura asked.

Keith smiled, "Yeah, ever since he came and spent a week with us the summer before our third year at the Academy."

"Boys," Isabelle lowered her voice to 'Mom tone'.  "You will not make fun of your sister this week.  It's not often we're together as a family and we're going to have fun."  
  


"Yes, Mom," Keith and Gerald chimed.

They all turned to the ship at the sound of heavy footsteps.  Dana Whitaker was a young woman of fifteen who took after her brother, Keith.  Her long, black hair was pulled back into a ponytail.  Dark eyeliner circled her eyes and from her turtleneck to her military boots, she was dressed from head to toe in black.  Her hands were stuffed in her pockets and she held her head high, a defiant look on her face.

"Dana," Keith grinned.  "It's good to see you again, sis."

She nodded a small smile on her face, "You too, Keith."

"Come here, Dink," he said affectionately, pulling his sister into a hug.  "I want you to meet someone," he released her and turned her to face Allura.  "Dana, this is Allura.  Allura, this is my sister Dana."

The Princess smiled kindly, "It's so nice to meet you, Dana."

Keith's sister looked Allura up and down, sneering, "Nice _gown_, your highness."

Isabelle pinched her daughter's arm, "Watch your manners, young lady."

"Yeah, be nice, someday Allura could be your sister," Gerald told her.

Keith and Allura both blushed, neither sure how to respond.

"Come on," Isabelle slipped her arm through Allura's.  "I want to see this Castle, see where my boy has been holed up for the past two and a half years."

As soon as Allura and his mother were out of range, with Gerald and Allyson following them, Keith smacked his sister upside the head.  "What is your problem?"  
  


"I can't believe you're actually marrying a Princess.  Is this, like, some cheesy romance novel?" 

"Grow up, Dana.  Allura is the most amazing woman I have ever met.  It would be beneficial for you to be nice, she's in all our lives now."

"Are you really going to marry her?"

"Well, we're not engaged yet, if that's what you're asking, but yes we will, someday."

Dana looked at her brother, "So you're never coming back to Terra?"

Keith's expression softened and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "No, Dink, not permanently.  But we will visit and our door will always be open to you."

"Don't call me Dink," she told him, shrugging his arm off.

"I've been calling you that since you were three."

"And I've always hated it."

"I know."

"Gerry and Allyson are moving."

Keith looked at her, surprised, "What?"

"Gerry and Allyson are moving."

"Where?"

"A town about four hours away, he's being transferred."

"When?"

"A couple of months."

"You'll still see them…"

"It won't be the same."

Keith felt bad for his little sister.  They had never been as close as Lance was to his sisters and he always regretted that.  "We're not deserting you, Dana."

"I didn't say you were," she said sharply.  "I don't _need_ you guys."

He sighed, "Come on, I'll show you the castle.  Maybe I'll take you up in Black later, if you want."

She shrugged but followed him.

They entered Castle Control to see Gerald holding his oldest son tightly, trying to keep him from pushing every shiny button he could find.  Lance was just stepping out of a hug with Isabelle.

"You really baked for me?"  He asked her.

"Of course, Lance.  I wouldn't dream of visiting you boys without bringing you cookies and my famous congo squares."

Lance kissed her cheek, "I love ya, Isabelle."

She swatted his arm, "Oh stop, you only love me for my baking."

"You wound me," he said dramatically.  "I am not that shallow.  Whoa, Dana, looking good."

"Watch it, Lieutenant," Keith warned.

"How come you only pull rank on me when you're afraid I'm trying to steal a woman from your life?"

"If I catch you so much as looking at my sister, I will have to kill you."

Dana tried to look bored, but found it difficult as her cheeks burned, "Knock it off, Keith."

"I was just about to show them the garden," Allura told him, trying to change the subject.

"Sounds good," Keith took her hand.  "Your bags will be taken to your rooms, after a quick tour, we'll have lunch."

**********************************************************

"I don't think your sister likes me," Allura whispered.

  
She and Keith had sneaked into the Observation Deck later that night and were cuddled together in one of the big chairs.  The day had been spent relaxing, allowing Keith's family to become familiar with the castle and the rest of the Force.  After such a long trip, they were all so happy to be on solid ground, but they weren't feeling up to doing much.  Plus, the time changes had hit them pretty hard and they had turned in early, leaving the couple some time alone.

"It's not you," he assured her, stroking her hair.

"What is it then?"

"I think she's feeling left out," he explained.  "Gerry and Allyson are moving away and, well, she pointed something out to me today that I guess I hadn't thought about."

She tilted her head back and looked up at him, "What?"

"I'm not going to be moving back to Terra."

Allura was quiet for a moment.  He was right.  She had to stay on Arus so if this was going to work, he had to stay as well.  "Are you okay with that?"  She asked quietly.

He nodded, "It doesn't bother me as much as I think it should."

"What?"

"I feel like I should be really upset about it, but I'm not.  I'm happy here with you."

  
"What about the transfer you put in for?"

"I sent in another request, asking to stay.  I'm hoping they'll realize how silly it would be to split up the Force."

"You haven't heard yet?"

"With the size of the Garrison and all that is going on, it usually takes a few months to clear a transfer and now that I've retracted it, it may take some more time to clear it up."

"What if…" she bit her lip.

"Don't worry, Angel, I have a clean record and have proven myself to be an asset.  It is in the Garrison's best interest to keep me here."

"But what if…"

He silenced her with a kiss, "Then I will go AWOL."

"You will not!"

"We'll work it out, honey."

She laid her head on his shoulder and toyed with the button on his shirt, "Your mother is really nice."

"Yeah, I like her."

"Do you think our son will look like Adam?"

Keith chuckled, "No, he'll probably have blonde curls and blue eyes."

She smiled and pulled her legs up, curling as close to him as she could, "Do you think about us having children?"

"Of course I do, ever since Kadmus told me he saw our children."

"I really like Gerald and Ally.  He's not as bad as you guys made him out to be."

"He's not a bad guy, just a typical older brother.  And Allyson is amazing, what she's doing with him, I will never know.  He's very lucky to have her."

"Now if I can just win Dana over."

Keith chuckled, "I love you, Allura, I really do.  Don't let Dana get to you, she's just being a little pain in the butt."

"How can you say that?"

"She's my baby sister, I have the right to say things like that."

Feeling mischievous, Allura undid a few buttons of his shirt, sliding her hand inside, gently stroking his chest, "I bet you're a great big brother."

"Not really, I could be better," he whispered, leaning his head back and closing his eyes.

"You are going to be a terrific father," she whispered, kissing his chin.

"No pressure there," he murmured.

"I mean that, Keith," she continued undoing the buttons of his shirt.

He opened his eyes and brought his hand up to stroke her cheek, "Are you in a hurry to have children?"

"I wouldn't say I'm in a hurry, but I want to have children with you."

"What about flying?"

She hadn't thought of that.  Laying her head against his shoulder, she traced designs on his chest with her fingertip and looked out the window in front of them.  It wouldn't be safe to fly and fight while she was pregnant.  And could she really leave her baby back in the castle while both she and Keith went off to fight?  She loved flying and she wasn't quite ready to give that up.  Not while Lotor was still a threat.

"We have time, Allura."

  
"But how much?"  She whispered.

"The rest of our lives."

"We're at war Keith…"

"Don't Allura."

"Don't you think about the possibility?"

"I try not to," he whispered, burying his face in her hair.

Allura closed her eyes and wrapped her arms tightly around him.  "I love you, Keith."

He nodded, not speaking.

She tilted her head back so his forehead rested on hers, "What are the plans for tomorrow?"  
  


Keith cleared his throat and lifted his head, "I was thinking we could take them for a ride, see the planet."

"I thought no non-military personnel were allowed in the Lions," she teased.

"I've amended that so it says no non-military, rat-faced Princes are allowed in the Lions."

Allura laughed, "Fair enough.  Come on."  She stood and held her hands out to him.  "It's getting late and we have to get up early."

He took her hands and stood, "Is that an invitation?"

She smiled coyly at him, "Not until we're married, Darling."

"Is there a Justice of the Peace we can go see right now?"

"A what?"

"Nothing," he shook his head, buttoning up his shirt.  "Come on, allow me to escort you to your room my fair lady."

Outside her door, they shared a sweet, lingering kiss goodnight.

"Sleep well, Angel," Keith whispered, embracing her.

"You too, Honey."

He kissed her gently one more time before releasing her, "Good night."

She smiled softly and squeezed his hand before dropping it, "Good night."

Keith waited until the door slid shut behind her and he heard the telltale beep and click that signaled the activation of the locking mechanism before turning to leave.  His overprotective need kicked in and he decided to return to his room the long way past the guest rooms.  It was quiet, the only noise being the sound of heels hitting the floor as a guard passed through on his rounds.

He smiled.  It was a nice feeling to know his family was there.  He was so excited for this opportunity, for them all to meet Allura and get to know her.  Keith knew that the better they got to know her, the would love her as much as he did.  Stuffing his hands in his pockets, he turned the corner and headed toward his room.


	32. Flights, Swimming, and Stories

"Now I mentioned to you guys last night how important it is for you to stay on Castle grounds at all times unless you're escorted by myself or another member of the Force."

Allura entered the kitchen the next morning to find Keith going over some of the ground rules with his family.  Nanny had whipped up a breakfast of pancakes and sausage and the entire Whitaker clan were gathered around the table digging into the mountains of food.

Isabelle smiled up at her, "Good morning, Allura."

"Good morning, Isabelle.  How did everyone sleep last night?"

"Wonderfully, thank you," Allyson told her.  "The rooms are beautiful and it was so nice to sleep in a regular bed instead of a bunk on a ship."

Allura sat between Keith and Gerald, thanking Nanny as she set a plate in front of her.

"I was just going over a few things with them," Keith told her, turning back to his family.  "You need to keep in mind that we are at war here.  If you hear the alarms go off, the safest place for you will be in Castle Control.  Koran will be keeping watch there and he will be able to tell you what to do and where to go."

"Are we in danger here?"  Dana asked.

"No," Allura assured her.  "You will be perfectly safe in the Castle."

"So why did you invite us if you're at war?"  She asked.

"Nothing will happen to you, Dana, if you do as you're told," Keith told her.  "We wanted you guys to visit and Doom has backed off a little, so it seemed as good a time as any."

"I'm sure we'll be fine," Isabelle said cheerfully.  "What are the plans for today?"

"We were thinking that you guys might like to see more of Arus, take some of the Lions up."  Keith told her.

"Fly in de Lion, Uncle Keif?"  Adam looked up at him, hands and face covered in syrup.

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Adam," Allyson reprimanded him.

"Sure, Adam, maybe you can even fly the Lion," Keith winked at him.

Allura looked up and say Dana watching her as she swirled a piece of pancake in the lake of syrup on her plate.  She tried to read the younger woman's face.  Dana's expression was one of pure defiance, like she was challenging Allura to speak to her.  The young Princess was at a loss for words and returned her gaze to the plate in front of her, feeling foolish.  

Why was this girl getting to her so much?  No, she knew why Dana's behavior upset her.  She desperately wanted all of Keith's family to like her.  Allura looked up at Keith when she felt his hand rest on her knee.  He squeezed gently and winked at her and Allura felt better.

"Dana," Allura spoke up, smiling across the table.  "Keith told me you like to read, I can show you my father's library later.  It's quite extensive."

Dana shrugged, "Whatever."

"Or you can just sit there and brood," Gerald said.

Dana scowled at him.

"We could just take her out and drop her in the volcano," Keith suggested.

"Or the lake," Gerald added.  "With those huge boots on, she'll sink right to the bottom."

"Or you could stop talking as though I'm not here," their sister snarled.

"Boys," Isabelle warned.  "Be nice."

"Aun' Dana," Adam turned in his seat to face her.  "Don't be mad."

"I'm not mad."

Gerald snorted.

"Adam, can you say bitter?  _Bitter_." Keith coached.

Allura smacked his knee under the table, "Stop it."

"I don't need you to stand up for me," Dana spit at Allura.  Without another word, she stood and stormed out of the kitchen.

Isabelle stood and flashed a weak smile at Allura, "If you'll excuse me, I have to go smack some sense into my headstrong daughter."

Allura nodded numbly.  It was the first time anyone had ever spoken to her in such a fashion.   Even her enemies had always treated her with respect.

"Don't take it to heart, Allura," Allyson said as she cleaned Adam's face and hands. "She's going through a rough time and, to be honest, I think she's feeling a little threatened.  She didn't really like me either when I first married Gerry."

"But why?"  Allura asked.  "What did I do to her?"

"Nothing," Keith assured her.  "She's being a brat."  
  


"But why would she feel threatened by me?  I just want to be friends."

Allyson sat down in the seat vacated by Dana, "All her life Dana had been the youngest, the only girl.  Now she has you and me to compete with for attention."

"That's just silly," Keith muttered.

"Try to be a little understanding," Allyson continued.  "She's young and confused.  And it doesn't help that you two boys keep picking on her."

"We've picked on her her entire life," Gerald said.

"Could you try and be a little nicer for now," his wife pleaded.

Gerald grinned and reached across the table to take her hand, "My darling psychiatry student of a wife, I will do whatever you ask me to do."

"Are you studying psychiatry?"  Allura asked.

  
Allyson nodded, "I'm studying part-time."

Keith looked down when he felt a small hand on his leg and saw Adam starring up at him, "Let's go in da Lion, Uncle Keif."

"Adam, is that how you ask?"  Allyson reminded.

Adam looked at his mother and thought a moment before turning back to his uncle, "Please?"

"Alright," Keith stood and swung his nephew up onto his shoulders.  "Let's go see if we can find Lance.  I bet going for a ride in Red with him would cheer Dana up."

"He's so good to her," Allyson said, lifting Ben out of the old highchair Nanny had found.

"He's a good guy," Allura remarked.

Keith nodded, "He thinks of her as one of his sisters."

They walked into Castle Control to find Koran and Pidge talking beside the main console.

"How're things looking?"  Keith asked.

"Good, Captain," Koran told him.  "All clear.  You had a good practice this morning."

"Yeah, we were flying pretty tight.  I was thinking about taking a couple of the Lions out for a spin."

The older man nodded, "It seems safe, Captain, just don't stray too far."

"No problem, Koran."  Keith handed Adam to his brother and unclipped his communicator, dialing up Lance.

"Yo, Collier."

"Yo, Lance," Keith replied with a smile.  "What are you doing?"

"Not too much, why?"

"Well, I was hoping you could help us out.  I'm thinking about taking the family out in the Lions, to get a better view of Arus, and I was thinking you would help me out, maybe take Dana up in Red."

Lance shrugged, "Sure thing, Cap.  Everything alright?"

"She's giving Allura a hard time.  I'm hoping to be able to break her out of this snit she's in."

"Snit?"  Lance laughed.  "I'll be right there, Cap."

"Thanks man."

The door slid open and Isabelle entered, a tight grip on Dana's arm, and marched her over to Allura.  "Dana has something to say to you Allura.  Dana?"

"I'm sorry for having been so rude."  Dana mumbled.

Allura smiled kindly, "It's alright, Dana, really.  I just hope that you and I can become friends."

The girl rolled her eyes in response.

"Hey there, kiddo," Lance appeared at Dana's side and slung his arm over her shoulders.  "Want to take my Kitty for a ride?"

"Uh, yeah, sure, I guess so."  Dana tried her hardest not to sound too excited.

"I think I'll stay here and watch Ben," Isabelle offered.

"Come on, Mom, don't you want to fly?"  Keith asked.

"Uh, thanks, dear, but I'm fine on the ground.  I can see so much of this beautiful planet from the castle."

Keith rolled his eyes, "The Lions are perfectly safe, Mother."

"I know they are, dear.  Go ahead now, take your brother."

"Come on, Uncle Keif!" Adam tugged at his hand.  "Fly de Lion!"

"Alright, let's go, gang," Keith took them over to the entry tubes and explained how to enter the Lions.  Gerald and Adam squeezed into the cockpit of Black with Keith while Allyson rode with Allura and Dana with Lance.

Inside Red, Lance turned to Dana as they flew over the countryside.  "So, what do you think of Arus so far?"

She shrugged, "It's alright."

"It's beautiful here.  We'll have to take a walk around the lake later, maybe even go swimming.  I'm sure Adam will love that."  He tried to keep up a steady stream of conversation, but she wasn't making it easy.  "So, uh, how's school going?"

Dana shrugged again, "Alright."

"You know, I remember a time when you were a lot more talkative."

"Are you going to stay on Arus too?"  She asked.

"As long as I am assigned here."

"You're not going to move here permanently too?"

"Nah, I'm not ready to settle down," he told her as he steered Red over toward Alforia.  "There is a lot more I want to do and see."

She nodded, seemingly pleased with his answer.

"When it's finished, this will be the capitol city, Alforia," Lance explained, circling the finished and half-finished buildings.  "So what do you think of Allura?"

Dana shrugged.

"She's an amazing person."

"That's what Keith said," she muttered.

"You don't like her?"

"She's alright, I guess."

"Didn't you ever want a big sister?"

"No, and don't talk to me like I'm a child."

Lance raised his eyebrows, "I'm not, Dana.  You have to know that what Keith and Allura have is forever.  You can either accept it and learn to love her as much as we all do or you can make it difficult for everyone."

Dana didn't respond, she turned and looked out the window.  It was one thing to be lectured by her mother, but it was something entirely different to hear it from Lance.  What made Allura so special?  Why did everyone like her so much?

"You know," Lance continued as he steered Red around toward the woods.  "Keith has been so excited about you guys coming to visit, it's all he's talked about for weeks."

She shrugged.

"Come on, where's that sweet, bubbly girl we all know and love," he elbowed her in the side.

"You wouldn't understand, Lance," she mumbled.  "I've grown up and I see things how they really are now."

"And how are they?"

"Don't patronize me, Lance."

"I'm not, I want to know what's going on with you."

"Nothing, just forget it."

Lance was about to respond when a beeping filled the cabin.  He flipped on the audio and visuals, "Yeah."

"Hey, Lance, we're heading back to the castle.  It's about time for lunch and then we thought we'd hit the lake, take the kids swimming," Keith told him.

"Sounds good, Captain, we'll meet you back in Castle Control."

"Do you always call him Captain?"  Dana asked when he closed the connection.

"Not always, but he is my commander."

"Don't you think calling him that puts you into a subordinate position?"

"I am his subordinate, I'm second-in-command."

"I thought you guys were friends."

"We are, he's my best friend."

"Doesn't it get weird, having to take commands from your friend?"  Dana asked.

"No, we've all worked out a balance.  We're all friends, but when it comes to our job and protecting Arus, Keith is the undisputed leader."

"It's strange to think of Keith as being the leader of some big military operation."

"He's a great leader."

Dana rolled her eyes, "Everything is great here, huh?  Keith is great, the Lions are great, Arus is great, Allura's great."  
  


Lance bit his tongue.  It was all so clear now.  She was jealous. 

*************************************************

"Dana say anything to you?"  Keith asked Lance as they sat beside the lake, watching Gerald, Allyson, Adam, Allura, Pidge, and Hunk play in the water.  Isabelle sat near by with Ben.

"I think she's jealous, man," Lance lowered his voice.  "You and Gerry are both involved and I think she feels left out."

"Yeah, Allyson said something like that this morning.  But what do we do about it?"

Lance shrugged, "I don't know."

"What do you do about what?"  Allura plopped down beside them.  She had thrown a short terry cloth cover over her swimsuit and her hair was pulled back into a wet braid.

Keith tugged on her braid, "Dana."  
  


"Oh," Allura nodded.  She was at a loss as well, but she wasn't about to allow Keith's sister to ruin the fun she was having with the rest of his family.  She and Allyson had become quick friends and his mother and brother were just wonderful.

"Yeah, oh."

Allura leaned against him, resting her head on his shoulder.  Keith tilted his head and rested his cheek against her wet head, watching as Gerald picked up Adam and threw him into the water.

Dana walked out of the castle and saw her brother and the Princess.  She scowled at the cozy scene they made and turned toward her mother and her nephew.

Keith sighed.

  
"Let me," Lance jumped to his feet.  "Hey Dana!"  
  


"What?"

"Did you bring your bathing suit?"

"I'm not wearing it."

"Well, that's a shame."  Lance rushed her, threw her over her shoulder, ignoring her protests, and tossed her into the lake.

"Lance!"  Dana sputtered, standing in the water and pushed her hair out of her face.  "What are you doing?"

Lance pulled his t-shirt off and dove into the water.  He came up beside her and grinned, "You need to chill out, girl."

She couldn't help but laugh, "Jerk."  

"I'm a jerk, am I?"  Lance dunked her.

  
What followed became on of the largest splash fights ever had in the lake beside the castle.  Everyone had joined in, Allura and Keith had leapt into the water and Adam was riding his father's shoulders as they tried to dunk Hunk.

Allura cupped her hands and fought back as Pidge tried to splash her.  She had just enough time to get a gulp of air in her lungs as she felt familiar hands grab her around the waist and pull her under.  She swung out with her arms, but he had slipped away.  When her hand came in contact with a hard body, she grabbed an arm and pulled hard.  Breaking the surface, Allura looked around, feeling triumphant.  She got slapped in the face with a handful of water.

"Now why did you just try to drown me?"  Lance asked cheerfully.

"Where'd Keith go?"  She asked, treading water.

"Try over there," Lance pointed behind her.

There was a section of the lake that was mostly hidden from view by a large tree whose branches hung down into the water.  She swam over and pushed aside the branches.  It was a lot darker and more calm, the tree cutting off the sunlight and breeze.  It was also eerily quiet.  Allura moved slowly forward, she didn't particularly like this area because the lake was so deep.  She was a good swimmer, but not a strong one, like the guys.  

"Keith?"

No answer.

With an annoyed sigh, Allura turned to swim back so she could give Lance a piece of her mind.

"Where ya goin'?"

Allura stifled a scream as Keith popped up out of the water in front of her, a goofy grin on his face.

"Sorry, didn't mean to startle you," he said earnestly.

"What are you doing?"  She asked.

"I was trying to get the attention of a pretty girl," he teased, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her close.

Still moving her legs, Allura wrapped her arms around his neck, "You need to behave, your family is out there."

"They need to get used to the idea of us," he murmured.

"Not…like this."

"Come on," he whispered, his breath warm on her neck.  "Be bad."

Her cheeks reddened, "Not with your family here."

"Listen."

She did, all she could hear was splashing and laughing.

"They are completely unaware of us missing," he whispered, kissing her bare shoulder as it was exposed just above the water.

"Keith," she breathed just before his lips caught hers.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered, tightening his arm around her.

Knowing he wouldn't let her down, Allura wrapped her legs around his waist.  She was acutely aware of how close they were and how little they were both wearing.  It terrified and excited her.

Keith groaned as Allura deepened the kiss, wrapping herself around him.  He couldn't get enough of her, the way she felt, the way she tasted.  He was drowning in her and that was just fine with him.

Allura reluctantly broke the kiss, "Keith."

He looked up at her through half closed eyes.

"We can't stay here."

"Says who?"  He challenged.

She smiled and rested her forehead against his, "I love you so much."

"Then stay here with me, forever," he whispered.  "We'll stay here, away from Nanny and Koran, Lotor, the war, everything."

"We'll get hungry," she pointed out.

"We'll fish."

 "I don't like fish."

"You'll learn to."

Allura gently caressed his face with butterfly kisses, "If we stay in the water that long we'll wrinkle up beyond recognition."

Keith chuckled, "Alright, alright, I can take a hint.  You don't want to be alone with me."

"It isn't proper."

"You worry too much about what's proper."

"I can't help it."  She twirled the hair at the nape of his neck around her fingers.  "You know, when we get married, we can spend as much time alone as we want."

"Are you fishing for a proposal?"  He teased.

She tossed her head back defiantly, "I would never lower myself so far as to fish for anything.  I can wait for you to realize how much you want to be with me."

"You have no idea how much I want to be with you," Keith whispered threateningly.

Allura shivered, "Then what are you waiting for?"

"The right time, Angel, the right time."

"Yes, well, don't make me wait too long."

Keith smiled, "Honey, we'll know when it's right and we can't let the decision be made by our hormones."

Allura blushed again at his innuendo, "We really should head back out there before they notice we're gone."

He winked at her, "Then you're going to have to let me go."

Allura grudgingly released him.

"Race ya," Keith challenged.

  
Before she could respond, he was slicing through the water and out of sight.  Shaking her head, Allura pushed forward and broke through branches.  She was greeted by silence as everyone watched her and Keith exit their hiding place.

The heat rose to her face so quickly and so intensely, Allura was afraid her head would burst.

Gerald laughed and was quickly followed by everyone else.

  
"Wha's so funny, Daddy?"  Adam asked.

"Nothing, Adam, just Uncle Keith being silly," he told his son.

"What were you doin'?" The little boy asked his uncle.

"We, uh, well, Allura and I were, uh…" Keith looked at her for help.

"They were playing 'Hide the Sausage'," Lance spoke up.

Gerald howled with laughter while Keith tackled Lance into the water.

"Wha'?"  Adam looked around, confused.  "Wha' sausage?  Daddy?  Wha' sausage?"

"It's nothing, Sweetie, they're just being silly," Allyson took her son from her husband.

  
"Boys!  What's so funny?"  Isabelle stood on the shore, Ben on her hip.

"Nothing, Mom!"  Gerald and Keith called back at the same time.

Nanny appeared over the slight hill and came down to stand beside Isabelle.  She clapped her hands for their attention, "Dinner in about an hour and a half.  You will want to start coming in so you can dress for dinner!"

******************************************************

That evening, they all retired to the rec room.  A board game was spread out on the coffee table and everyone paired off.  Keith and Allura, Hunk and Pidge, Lance and Dana, Gerald and Allyson.  Isabelle offered to get the boys bathed and ready for bed.

"Lance, dear, do you know what this is?"  Isabelle walked in, holding Adam's hand in hers.

Lance glanced up, "Um, I think that's your grandson, Isabelle."

"No, this."  She held out her hand.

Lance jumped to his feet and snatched it from her hand, noticing it was wet, he wiped it on his shirt.  "That's Red's key!  Where did you get this?"

"Adam said you gave it to him."

"Lance," Keith's voice held a warning.

"I know, Keith," Lance said.  "I have no idea how he got it."

"Adam, come here," Keith held his hand out to his nephew.  He picked up the little boy and set him on his lap, facing him.  "Listen very carefully to me, Adam," Keith pulled Black's key out of his pocket.  "If you ever find one of these, you give it to me right away, do you understand?"

Adam nodded, his eyes glued on the shiny oval key.

"Adam, look at me.  This is not a toy."

"I know."

"So what do you do if you find one of these?"

"I give it to you," Adam whispered.

"Good boy," Keith set him back on his feet.

Lance sniffed his key, "Why is this wet?"

"I wanted to see it float," Adam explained.

"Where?"

"In da toilet."

"You put Red's key in the toilet?"  Keith's voice rose.

Allura put a reassuring hand on his arm, "It's alright, Keith, nothing happened."

"Adam, you know better than to take things that aren't yours," Allyson chided.  "You tell Lance you're sorry."

"Sorry, Lance," he muttered, looking at his feet.

Always the peacekeeper, Hunk spoke up, "Alright, nothing too bad happened and Lance can once again fly his Lion.  Let's get back to the game."

"He is obsessed with putting things in the toilet," Gerald said.

"You went through a phase like that," Isabelle said, sitting on the couch.  "You loved to flush things down the toilet."

"Like what?"  Allura asked.

"Oh, bits of paper, toys.  We caught him one time trying to see if Keith would float."  Isabelle laughed at the memory.  "We thought he had grown out of that phase, he was six and Keith was just a baby.  James heard Keith crying like a banshee, he ran into the bathroom to find Gerry standing over the toilet and holding Keith in the bowl, feet first."

"It's amazing I made it to adulthood," Keith muttered, rolling the dice.

"Oh stop it," Isabelle said.  "You guys became good friends when Dana was born, you actually teamed up to try and sell her."

"We almost had a taker too," Gerald said.  "Mrs. Walters down the street offered us ten dollars."

"Crazy old Mrs. Walters?" Dana gasped.  "You almost sold me to the woman who always went shopping wearing a robe and curlers?"

Keith shrugged, "She offered the best price."

"Hey, Keith," Gerald laughed.  "Remember our family trip to Virginia?"

"Oh yeah!  We had Dana convinced she had to get her money converted because we were in a different state!"  Keith grinned.

"She actually went to a bank beside the hotel and handed them a five dollar bill, asking them to convert it to Virginia money."

"Oh, that's awful!  Did you guys always gang up on Dana?"  Allura asked.

"She was a girl," Keith told her.  "We had too."

"And she was Dad's favorite," Gerald added.

"Now that's not true," Isabelle interrupted.  "She was 'Daddy's Little Girl', but your father loved you all just the same."

"Hey Keith, remember you're fourth grade play?"  Dana asked slyly.

Gerald howled with laughter, "You mean when he split his pants and didn't know it so when he turned his back to the crowd we all got a great view of his underwear?"

"Poor Keith, that must have been so embarrassing," Allura said sympathetically.

"It wouldn't have been so bad if my brother and sister hadn't felt the need to bring that story up at every opportunity," Keith pouted.

"Poor baby," she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Or what about the time we went to…what's that?"  Gerald looked at Keith.

"It's the castle alarms," Keith said as the entire Force jumped to their feet.  "Get the baby and meet us in Castle Control."


	33. Her Greatest Loss

Hi all!

Just thought I should mention that I don't own Voltron or any of the characters you recognize from the TV show or the comics.  I'm just having some fun with them.

Thank you so much for your wonderful, thoughtful reviews, I really do appreciate them.  You guys rock!  :-)

Enjoy,

Failte

********************************************************************

"What is it?"  Keith demanded as they raced into Castle Control.

"Doom fighters," Koran said.  "About a dozen of them.  No sign of a coffin yet."

"Alright, I want guards posted on the turret guns, no fighter gets near the castle," Keith barked out as his family ran into the room.  "We'll take the Lions up and see what we can do to."  He turned to his family, "Stay here and just do what Koran tells you."

Isabelle and Gerald nodded, watching as the Force ran to the entry tubes and moments later the Lions soared into the air.  Even Adam stood quietly, hugging his father's leg while sucking on his thumb.  The sound of guns firing surrounded them as they watched the battle unfold before them on the monitors.  Yellow took a shot in the side, sending him into a spin.

"Hunk!"  Keith called over the com system.  "You okay?"

Hunk grunted as he wrestled to pull his machine into control.

"Are the radars showing anything coming?"  Keith asked as he shot down another fighter.

"Not yet, Captain," Koran responded, tuning the radars.  "The airspace is clear other than what you're fighting now."

"Allura!  Pidge!  Three fighters are heading toward Alforia!"

"We're on it, Captain," Pidge said as he and Allura swung around to chase the offending ships.

"Lance, there are two heading towards the woods, Hunk another went west!"

"We're on it Cap!"

"Got it Cap!"

The battle was a relatively short one, with only the fighters attacking.  When the ships had been shot down, Keith called for guards to round up and arrest the Doom soldiers while the Lions continued to circle the air as a precaution.

"Alright guys," Keith gave the all clear.  "Hunk, take Yellow to the workroom, I want her checked out and then go see Dr. Gorma."

  
"I'm fine, Captain," the big man assured him.

"Just get checked out, Hunk."

"Yes, sir."

Allura was the first one to arrive back in Castle Control, followed quickly after by Pidge, Keith and Lance, who was limping.

"I want a damage report as soon as you have one," Allura said as she stood beside Koran.

"I am working on it now, Princess, I should have a preliminary within a few moments."

"Any contact from Doom?"  Keith asked.

"No, no one has tried to contact us yet."

Keith and Allura exchanged a look.  It was odd for them to send fighters for no obvious reason and not send a coffin.

"Do you think they're toying with us?"  Allura asked.

"Who knows with Lotor," he muttered.  "Lance, go get your ankle wrapped."

"I'm fine…"

"You're limping and we need you guys in good shape, go."

"Yes, sir," Lance nodded and limped from the room.

"Here, your highness," Koran handed her the printout report.

Keith read over her shoulder, "Two casualties?"

"Nothing fatal, Captain.  Two guards, Dr. Gorma is seeing to them now."

He nodded, "Thank you, Koran.  I'm going to check on the guards and then I'll be back."  Keith turned and saw his family watching them, for a moment he had forgotten they were there.  

Allura laid her hand on his shoulder and whispered, "I'll go to the hospital wing and check on the men, you take care of them."

"Thanks," he winked at her before turning back to his family.  "Alright, guys, come with me."

"Is everything okay?"  Isabelle wondered.

"Oh, yeah, it's nothing for you guys to worry about."

"Keith," Gerald picked Adam up.  "What just happened?"

"We were attacked by Doom.  You all know we're at war, it happens."

"What can we do, dear?" Isabelle asked.

"Just do what we ask you to, you're perfectly safe here in the Castle of Lions."

************************************************************

"Mom?"

Isabelle opened her eyes and looked around her darkened room, "Dana?"

"Yeah."

She sat up as she felt her daughter land on her bed, "What's wrong, honey."

"I can't sleep," Dana stretched out on the empty side of her mother's bed.  She would never admit it, but the attack earlier in the day had shaken her up a bit.

"Oh, Dana, you'll be fine."

"I know."

"Well, you can sleep in here, but the first time you kick me, you're out of here."

"Thanks, Mom."

With a small smile on her lips, Isabelle turned on her side and closed her eyes.  In so many ways, her daughter was still her little girl.

It was less than half an hour later that the entire castle was wakened by the shrill ringing of the castle alarms.

"Come on," Isabelle grabbed her robe off the back of a chair.  "We have to get to Castle Control."

Out in the hallway they met with Gerald and Allyson carrying a sleepy Adam and a crying Ben.

"What's going on?"  Gerald asked, cradling Adam with one arm and wrapping his other arm around his wife's shoulders.

"We'll find out when we get to Castle Control," Isabelle insisted.

He looked at her, incredulous, "How can you be so calm, Mom?"

"Because I know Keith won't let anything happen to us, come along now."

They entered Castle Control to find it alive with action.  Guards were moving from console to console gathering information that they were presenting to the Force and Koran who were standing at the main console.  They all looked toward the door when they heard Ben crying.  Keith quickly rushed over to them.  
  
"Sorry about this, guys, we have reason to believe that there is an imminent attack.  You can go back to your rooms if you want, we'll post guards who will take you to someplace safer if necessary."  He told them.

"Whatever you think is best," Isabelle said.

Keith nodded and returned to the console.  He shared a few words with Koran before returning to his family, "You can return to your rooms."  He waved a couple of guards over and explained their assignment to them before speaking to his family.  "Privates Fforden and Castor will escort you to your rooms and let you know if anything happens.  As it is, if things continue as they are right now, we may not even have to go to the skies.  So go back to bed, I'm sorry we got you up."

"It's alright, dear, better to be safe than sorry," Isabelle smiled at him.

Keith watched as his family filed from the room, feeling angry and frustrated that Lotor had once again found a way to interrupt their lives.  With a deep sigh he returned to the main console to see what had been found.

"Something has definitely entered the area, but we're not sure if it came from the sky or not." Koran said as Keith approached them.

Keith looked at the monitor, perplexed, "How can we not be sure where it came from?"

"What do you want to do, Cap?"  Lance yawned.

"I want to get some Lions up to investigate, we'll have full view of the castle grounds.  Have the top three turret guns manned as a precaution."

"Yes, sir," Koran turned to give the orders to the guards.

"Lance, Hunk, you and I will go up and circle, make sure everything is clear.  Allura, Pidge, I want you guys to stay here and monitor for us, if we need you, I'll call for you.  I want the guards doubled up and doing rounds throughout the castle."

"Yes, sir," Pidge nodded.

Lance and Hunk raced towards their Lions while Allura grabbed Keith's arm, "Be careful out there."

He winked at her, pleased about her concern, "Don't worry, we'll be back before you know it."

"Is it too late to agree to live with you in the lake beneath the tree?"

"Yeah, you missed that opportunity.  Keep your eyes on the sky, Beautiful."  He stole a quick kiss before running to Black's entry tube.

Allura shivered, she had a really bad feeling about this.

Keith's family had congregated in Isabelle's room, all of them feeling better being together.  Adam was curled up in his father's lap, sound asleep, while Ben was laid out on the bed.

"It amazes me how children can sleep pretty much any time, anywhere," Gerald mumbled.

"They're happily oblivious," Isabelle said fondly, watching the two little boys sleep.

Dana paced the room, stopping every so often to look out the window when she heard a Lion fly past.  She was feeling antsy.

"Dana, dear, sit down, you're making me dizzy," her mother chided.

"I'm, uh, I'm cold.  I'm going to run to my room and grab a sweatshirt, I'll be right back."  Dana hurried to her room and pulled an old Academy sweatshirt Keith had given her from her suitcase.  She pulled it over her head as she heard one of the Lions take another pass by the castle.  A sudden need to be home overtook Dana.  She felt uneasy and unsafe, no matter what Keith had told them.  

Another alarm sounded, this one was more shrill.  Dana gasped and jumped in shock.  She had to know what was going on.  

The guards in the hallway were speaking on their communicators.  Dana walked past, but was stopped when one of them grabbed her arm.  "Where are you going?"

"Let me go," she tried to pull her arm from his grasp.

"We are under strict orders from the Commander to not let you out of our sights, any of you."

"Well, I am the _Commander's_ sister," she said haughtily.  "And I want to go to Castle Control."

The guard holding her arm looked at the other who nodded sharply and said, "Then come back here."

The man holding her tightened his grip and marched her down the hall, "I will deliver you to Castle Control and then go back to help guard over the rest of your family.  It would be wise for you to not get in the way, for your safety and for the safety of the others."

"Don't tell me what to do," Dana muttered.

The guard mumbled something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like "Brat."

They arrived at Castle Control just as Keith raced in, with Lance and Hunk at his heels.

  
"Do we know where he is?"  Keith demanded.

"No," Koran told him as he continued directing guards.

  
Keith called his men over, "Bring in the three men from the turret guns and add them to the hunt, Hunk, Lance, organize groups of guards.  Lance I want you to start at the bottom and Hunk at the top, a full sweep of the Castle.  Pidge, I want you get my family together and bring them here."

  
"What about me?"  Allura asked.

"Stay with me," Keith told her.

"I can fight Keith," she said, her tone strained.

  
Keith whirled around to glare at her, "Not now, not when he's in the castle."  
  


"We don't know if it is him."

"It probably is and you are to lay low, stay near me.  That is an order, do not argue!"

Dana watched as the two of them glared at each other.

"Captain," Koran interrupted.

"What!"  Both Keith and Allura responded.

"This is not a time to fight.  Princess, the Captain is right and you know it.  A full sweep of the castle is underway with instructions to shoot on sight."

A sudden explosion rocked the building.  Keith grabbed his communicator and dialed up Lance, "Lance, what was that!"

"We're on our way, Keith, it was behind us!"  Lance called back.

"I'm sending Hunk and his men as backup!"

"Please do!"

Keith dialed up Hunk and shouted out his command.

  
Dana watched the action going on, not sure what to do and feeling rather nervous.  She heard a quiet buzzing noise and then the guard beside her fell forward.  She looked down and saw the blood oozing from the wound on his head.  A scream ripped from her mouth as she finally comprehended what she saw.

  
"Dana!"  Keith ran over and grabbed her to him, turning her from the view.  "What are you doing here? Calm down, it'll be alright."  He carefully passed her to Koran who took across the room and sat her in a chair.

Dana sat down and squeezed her eyes shut, covering her ears.  More shots were fired, but she didn't want to know what was happening.  She didn't want to see it or hear it.

"What are you doing here?"  Keith demanded, aiming his gun at Lotor as he stood in the doorway with a smoking blaster.

"What do you think, Captain?"

"Drop your gun," Keith warned.

"Ah, but you are not in the position to tell me what to do, Captain, you are greatly outnumbered."  Lotor stepped to the side and dozens of Doom guards flowed in.  

Keith took in the scene in front of him, his mind whirling.  How did they get in?  How many were there?  Lance, Hunk and most of the guards were downstairs investigating the explosion and Pidge was getting his family.  Oh geez, his family.  He had to keep them away.  His gaze shifted to where Dana was sitting with her head in her hands.

Lotor followed his gaze, "Oh, who is the pretty little girl over there?"

Anger clouded Keith's judgment and he raised his gun again, "Don't even think about it, Lotor."

"What?  The Princess wasn't enough for you?"  
  


"I will kill you," Keith vowed.

"And then my men will kill you and the Princess and that little girl and anyone else they find in the Castle."

A chill raced down his spine because he knew Lotor was telling the truth.

The sound of racing feet brought some relief to Keith, here comes some backup.

Hunk and Lance arrived with their guards and spooked the Doom soldiers.  The ensuing gun battle took place mainly in the hallway outside Castle Control.  Keith raced in, trying to get his hands on Lotor but was stopped by a couple of soldiers who overpowered him.

Dana pressed her palms against her ears, whimpering.  If she didn't see it, then it wasn't really there, right?  She knew she was being silly and juvenile, but she was scared beyond reason.  

Allura ran over to Dana and grabbed her arms.  The young girl let out a silent scream and struggled until she saw who it was.  

"Come on," Allura dragged her over to the table where they had piled maps and other important information and pushed her under it.  "Stay here and keep quiet."

As soon as Allura stood upright, two strong arms grabbed her.  Making a split second decision and using the martial arts moves the guys had taught her, she flipped him over and watched him land painfully on his back.  She unholstered her blaster and aimed it at the man on the floor.

"I wouldn't do that, your highness."

Allura looked up to see another Doom soldier aiming his weapon at Dana.  "Drop it," he demanded.  "I will kill her."

Defeated, she dropped her blaster and allowed the two men to take her.

"Keith!"  She shouted. 

But he was lost in the melee and she was silenced when the soldier punched her in the mouth.

***************************************************************

Dana woke with a massive headache.  She blinked, trying to take in her surroundings. With a groan, she pushed herself up, realizing she was lying on a concrete floor and that her head was pounding terribly.

"About time you woke up."

"Allura?"  Dana whispered hopefully.

"Yeah, how are you?"

"Where are we?"

"We're on Doom."

"What?"

  
Allura slid across the floor and sat next to her, "Lotor got us.  But don't worry, Keith and the guys are already on their way."

"How do you know that?"  Dana asked, rubbing her head.

"Because Keith will always come for me."

Dana looked around, allowing her eyes to focus.  They were in a small, dark room, the only light coming from a small barred window in the door.  "Why do they want me?"  
  


"It would be better if I didn't answer that."  
  
The young girl shivered and pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs and resting her chin on her knees.  "I don't remember getting here."

"When the soldier pointed his weapon at you and threatened to shoot, you passed out and hit your head pretty hard.  It was taking so long for you to wake, I was really starting to worry."

Dana turned her head so her cheek rested on her knees and she could study the dim outline of the woman beside her, "I'm sorry, Allura."

"For what?"

"I haven't been very nice to you and you…you saved me tonight."

Allura turned to look at her, "And I would do it again."

  
Dana pursed her lips, feeling tears well up in her eyes, "Thank you."

The door was thrown open, light flooded the room, and two Doom soldiers came in, stepping aside to allow Lotor to enter.

"I believe it is only proper for you to stand when royalty enters the room," Lotor sneered.

"You are princely in title only, not behavior," Allura responded.

Lotor nodded his head and the soldiers stepped forward, pulling both women roughly to their feet and bringing them to stand in front of Lotor, their arms pinned behind them.

"I was beginning to fear that this day would never come," Lotor grinned, running his thumb over something he held in his hand.

Allura raised her eyebrows, "What are you talking about?  Keith will come for me." 

"No he won't."

"You said that last time and you were wrong," she said confidently.

Dana watched the exchange in awe, shocked at Allura's nerve.

"No, I'm pretty sure he won't," Lotor dangled the object he held in his hand in front of the two women.

Allura felt her knees turn to jelly, but refused to show weakness.  It was Keith's watch.  His father had given it to him when he had entered the Academy and it was his most prized possession.  There is no way Lotor could have that unless he pried it from Keith's cold…no!  She couldn't think that way.

Dana let out a quiet sob.

"I don't believe you."  This time Allura didn't sound so sure.

Lotor noticed the crack in her resolve and smiled, "Let them go."

  
The guards dropped them to the floor and flanked Lotor.

  
"The dark haired one is still young, we'll start her in the kitchens until I am ready for her.  The Princess will be brought to my room tonight."  Lotor commanded, tossing the watch on the floor in front of them and whirling on his heel, leaving the room.

Dana scrambled forward and snatched up the watch.  On shaking legs, she crept over to the door and held the watch up to the light.  It did look like the watch Dad had given Keith, she thought.  Biting her lip, she turned it over.  The inscription was there, **Good Luck, Keith.  With Pride From Your Father**.

Her legs gave out beneath her and she fell to her knees as she heard the strangled sob that tore from Allura's throat.


	34. The True Meaning Of Thankfulness

Hi all!

Thank you so much for your awesome reviews.

RedLion2 ~ Thanks for catching that mistake. I have to tell you, I work two jobs and I don't get home from my full time job most nights until midnight. So most of my writing is done late at night and once I get on a roll, I can't stop. So more often than not, I post chapters at like 2 or 3 in the morning and, even though I read it over and over, mistakes do get through. And that is one more reason we need our reviewers. Thank you for looking out for me ;-)

Enjoy,

Failte

* * *

Dana stared at the watch she held in her shaking hand. There was no way. Keith could not be dead. He was still young, so full of life. No.

She turned to look at Allura. The Princess was sitting on the floor, her back against the wall, her knees drawn up and her head down, not making a sound.

"Allura?"

She slowly lifted her head and looked up at Keith's little sister. Keith's sister. She could not let anything happen to her, she owed it to him, to his memory. How was she going to do it without him? She had given so much thought to their future together that she wasn't prepared for a future without him. But she would be damned if she would allow Lotor to get Dana.

Allura pushed herself up and looked around taking in her surroundings. Her lip throbbed and was swollen where the Doom soldier had punched her. Without a word to Dana, she crossed the room and ran her hands over the door, looking for a latch or something.

"What are you doing?" Dana whispered.

"We have to get out of here?"

"What about Keith?"

"What about him?"

Dana's mouth fell open, "He…he said Keith was dead. Don't you care?"

Allura rested her head against to cool metal door, "How can you ask me that? I love him. But if he knew I was sitting here and didn't fight back, didn't try to get you out, he would never forgive me."

"Do…do you think he was telling the truth?" Dana's voice shook and she sounded so young.

"I don't know. I hope not."

A quiet sniffle was the only response Allura received from the young girl. She turned and pulled Dana into a hug. Gathering as much strength as she could, Allura whispered, "I love him so much it hurts. I don't know if you can understand that, Dana, but he is a part of me, he is in me. I think that if Keith really was dead, I would know."

"You think Lotor is lying?"

"It's all I have to go with right now."

Dana nodded, wiped her eyes with her shirtsleeve and slipped the watch into her pocket. "What can I do?"

"I don't think we'll be getting out through the door, feel around the wall, push on stones, see if there are any loose ones." Allura instructed, running her hands over the wall.

Dana started on the opposite end of the room, pushing on the stones. For over an hour they pushed and prodded, frustration growing.

"I think I found something," Allura whispered excitedly. It was a loose stone near the floor. She wiggled and pushed it until stone began to crumble. More stones moved as Dana came over to help her. A small hole in the corner of the floor was reveled.

"What is it?" Dana whispered.

"I don't know," Allura muttered. Her belt with her blaster, communicator, and other things, including a flashlight, had been taken from her. Picking up a small rock, she dropped it, listening for it to hit ground. "It doesn't sound like a far drop."

"Are you serious?"

Allura looked at her, "It's either this or we sit here and wait for Lotor."

"Do…do you think there are rats?"

"None as big as Lotor," Allura took a deep breath. "I'm going in, follow me."

Dana watched as she squeezed through the hole, just barely making it, followed by a quiet thud as she hit the ground.

"It's not far," Allura called in a stage whisper. "The ground is solid."

Closing here eyes and conjuring up the face of her brother, Dana pushed through the hole, falling only about four feet.

It was frighteningly dark. They waited a moment to adjust their vision. The ceiling was low, both women had to bend over to avoid hitting their heads.

Allura groped in the darkness and found Dana's arm. Taking her hand in hers, she whispered, "Stay with me."

"Do you know where you're going?"

"No." The Princess started walking forward, holding Dana's hand in one of hers while using her other hand to run along the wall, trying to judge where they were headed. "We'll try and get outside and then I'll figure something out from there."

The walked for quite awhile, Allura figured it had been nearly twenty minutes. Dana was quiet, aside from the occasional sniffle or whimper as she tried not to cry out loud. There was no sign of light or an end to this tunnel, but it did get higher until they were both able to stand upright. She stopped and leaned against the wall. Help me, Keith, she silently pleaded. I don't know what to do or where to go, help me. I am so tired and I don't know if I can get us out of here.

"Allura?"

"I, uh, I just needed to stop a second, let's keep going."

They moved on for another five minutes when Allura came to a quick stop, Dana slamming into her from behind.

"Allura, what…"

"Sh," Allura warned, tilting her head to listen better. She was sure she had heard footsteps. With her heart pounding, she forced Dana behind her. They were not going down without a fight.

A flashlight beam cut through the darkness as quiet footfalls approached.

Dana shivered behind her, clutching her hand tightly.

Allura pulled herself up to her full height of 5'5" and tried to look more confident than she felt. The beam stopped at her feet and slowly swept up.

"Your highness?"

Allura shielded her eyes from the light, "Who is it?"

"It's me, your highness, Private Fforden. Come with me, please, I'll get you out."

"But how…"

"I'll explain as we go, please come." He grabbed her arm and turned the light to return from the way he had come. "Is Miss Whitaker with you?"

"Yes, she's here."

"Good. Follow me now."

"Why are you here?" She whispered.

"Lieutenant Collier asked me to come with them to search for you since I used to be a slave here I know the castle and most of the hidden passages," he told her, pulling a communicator from his belt. "Lt. Collier? I found them in the underground tunnel, we're heading out."

"Great, how are they?" Lance's voice echoed loudly off the walls.

"They seem to be in good shape."

"We'll meet you at the Lions."

Fforden shut the communicator and hurried forward, pulling on Allura's hand. They had been close to the exit, only having to go about another two hundred yards. The Private dropped her hand to push aside the branches of a bush that blocked the doorway.

"The Lions are about half a mile that way," he said. "Can you run?"

Allura nodded and the two women jogged after him, off the castle grounds and into the woods. They broke through a clearing to see Red, Yellow, and Green Lions sitting at attention. Allura scanned the area feeling her knees weaken. Where was Black? Where was Keith? If he was alive, he would be here.

"No," she whispered.

Dana fell to her hands and knees, exhausted and gasping for breath.

"Allura," Lance ran over to her. "Dana! Are you guys alright? Come on, let's get home before Lotor notices you're missing."

Hunk bent down and scooped Dana up into his arms. The girl was physically and emotionally exhausted. Tears ran down her face and her body was limp in his arms as he carried her to Yellow. Fforden raced to get a ride back with Pidge while Lance stopped to help Allura.

"Come on, Allura, let's go."

She didn't hear him. Her legs gave out beneath her and she fell, gasping for breath. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't see, she couldn't hear. No. No. He can't be dead. He's here somewhere.

Lance waved to the others to let them know he had it under control and they could leave. "Come on," he repeated gently. "We'll get you home and you can rest. You're exhausted."

"Keith," she whispered, passing out in the grass.

Lance swore under his breath. He could hear the sound of soldiers running through the woods. They had discovered the girls gone by now, they had to get out of here. Bending down, he carefully lifted Allura, carrying her to Red. It took some awkward maneuvering, but he was able to get her settled in and Red fired up by the time the Doom soldiers had broken into the clearing, firing their blasters harmlessly at the giant Lion.

A loud beeping was filling the cabin as Lance took off. "What is it?" He demanded, opening the lines of communication.

"You alright, Lance?" Hunk asked.

"Yeah, Allura passed out, I had to carry her to Red."

"Dana's out of it too, I guess they had a pretty rough time there."

"Let's just get them home. I'll call ahead and have Dr. Gorma on standby."

"Sounds good."

"See back on Arus, Hunk."

"Aye, Lance."

Lance closed the connection and set the Lion on auto pilot. At top speed it would take them nearly an hour to get back to Arus.

Allura was still out of it. Her bottom lip was swollen and there was a dark bruise that started at the corner of her mouth and spread across her cheek, a spot of dried blood crusted in the corner of her mouth. He reached under the seat for the first aid kit and pulled out an antiseptic wipe. As carefully as he could, he cleaned up the dried blood and around her mouth. She was lucky her lip wasn't split. With some ice, she would be fine.

"Hm."

"Allura?" Lance gently tapped her uninjured cheek when she moaned. "Can you hear me?"

"Lance?"

Her eyes flitted open, "What happened?"

"You passed out, kiddo. How're you feeling?"

"Tired and sore," she mumbled looking around the cockpit of Red. "Oh no."

"What is it?" He asked gently.

Her eyes widened. "You're actually asking me what's wrong?" Her voice rose shrilly.

"Uh, yeah. Are you in pain or something?"

"In pain?" Allura was suddenly finding it hard to breathe again as the reality of her situation came crashing down on her. "Oh no! Oh no! Oh no! What am I going to do Lance?"

"Calm down, Allura," he rubbed her hands between his, perplexed by her behavior. "We should be back on Arus in a little over half an hour, you'll be fine."

"No," she screamed at him. "I won't be fine! I'll never be fine! Oh, Lance, I don't know what I'll do without him!"

"Without who? What are you talking about?"

"Keith you jackass! How can you be so insensitive!"

He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to look at him, tears streaming down her cheeks as she gasped for breath, "Allura, what are you talking about?"

"L-Lotor said…he said Keith was…dead." The last word came out as a barely audible whisper.

"Oh, God, Allura, no. Keith is not dead. He was knocked out and hit his head pretty hard, but he's not dead. He was just coming out of it as we were leaving to come and get you."

"But…but Lotor had Keith's watch. And…and why isn't he here? H-he always said he would…he would always come for me."

"I don't know how Lotor got his watch, probably pulled it off him during the battle and he wanted to come, but Koran forbade him, forced him to stay. He hit his head pretty hard and has a nasty headache, he wasn't up for flying. But he will be fine."

Allura buried her face in her hands. She was so tired, so confused.

Lance opened the communication lines and called Castle Control. "Koran, where's Keith?"

"I believe he is still resting in the hospital."

Allura looked up, her hands over her mouth, to scared to believe.

"Go get him," Lance commanded.

"He's under doctor's orders to rest."

"I don't care, Koran, go get him now!"

Allura jumped, she had never heard Lance speak so forcefully.

Koran nodded and turned from the monitor. After what seemed like an eternity, but had actually only been about three minutes, Keith appeared in their screen. There was a white bandage on his temple and a large bruise down the side of his face, but he was there, alive. "What's wrong Lance? Is it Allura? Dana?"

Lance slid his gaze to Allura. Her mouth opened and closed wordlessly before a loud gasping sob erupted from deep within her. She hid her face in her hands, too overcome with emotion to speak.

Keith gripped the edge of his monitor, leaning closer as Allura sobbed loudly. "What happened Lance!"

"Lotor had her convinced you were dead. He took your watch and when she saw Black wasn't with us, she believed the worst," Lance explained quietly.

Keith hung his head, his heart breaking for what she must have gone through. Taking a deep breath he looked up, "Allura, honey, look at me."

She raised her eyes to his, but shook her head, unable to speak.

"We're half an hour out, Keith." Lance said, uneasily.

"I'll be waiting."

"And you might want to contact Yellow, if Allura thought you were dead, then Dana probably did too."

"Thanks Lance, I will."

Closing the connection, Lance turned to Allura, "Hey, hey, Allura, calm down. It's alright." He whispered to her soothingly as he ran his hands up and down her arms.

Allura finally got her emotions under control and looked up at him, "I'm sorry, Lance."

"You don't have to apologize."

"I just…I was never so scared before in my life. I should have known Lotor was lying, but…"

"It's alright, Allura. Now calm down. We'll be home soon and you'll be able to see for yourself that he is just fine."

She nodded resting her head back and closing her eyes. "How bad was the damage?"

"What?"

"After the battle. They were able to get into the castle, did we figure out how? How much damage was done to the castle?"

"Don't worry about that right now, Allura."

"Give me something to think about, Lance. Fill me in."

He sighed, "We don't really know yet, Allura, they're working on it. We were more worried about getting you and Dana back."

"Any causalties."

"Yes."

"Any fatal?"

"Yeah."

"What about Keith's family?"

"They're all fine. Pidge heard the gunfire and got them and Nanny to a safe place with a few guards."

She nodded, suddenly very tired. It had all just been too much. The next thing she knew, Lance was gently shaking her shoulder.

"Allura, wake up, we're home."

She looked around, realizing the Lion was no longer moving. Her entire body felt as though it weighed a ton, she was so tired, the adrenaline had worn off and she was completely wiped out. Keith. His name popped into her head and she pulled at the belts holding her down, her hands shaking convulsively.

"Calm down," Lance soothed, undoing the belts for her. "Take it easy, you've had a hell of a day."

Standing on unsteady legs, she pushed past Lance, not caring how rude she was being. She could not get to Castle Control fast enough to see him, to feel him, to know it had all been a horrible nightmare.

There he was. Hunk and Pidge had beat them back by about five minutes. Keith was hugging Dana, lifting her off her feet and twirling her around. Setting her down, he grinned at her and said something. Dana smiled back and reached into her pocket, holding his watch out to him. He thanked her and snapped it on his wrist. She stood on her toes and kissed his cheek before allowing Isabelle to drag her off to see Dr. Gorma. He looked so good, standing there in a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt, his hair sticking up in all directions. Allura knew he had been running his hands through his hair out of frustration.

Lance entered Castle Control, bumping into Allura who was frozen to her spot, watching Keith welcome his sister back.

Keith chose that moment to look up and see her standing in front of Red's entry tube, Lance behind her. Her face was bruised and she looked exhausted, but more than anything she looked disbelieving. He ran over to her and pulled her into a tight hug. Allura wrapped her arms around him, clutching so tightly that her nails were biting into his skin. She gasped and started crying again.

"It's alright, baby," he whispered into her hair. "It's alright. I am so, so sorry this happened."

Lance quietly slipped away, moving to the main console where Koran was standing, looking as though he had aged ten years. The mess from the battle had been cleaned up, but there were plenty of repairs that needed to be done.

Allura pulled back to look at him, bringing her hands up to frame his face, "You really are here. Oh, Keith, I was never so scared in my life. I…I was so afraid that I lost you."

He brought his hand up to cover hers and turned to kiss her palm, "I'm alright, you're home and you're safe. I am just so sorry he put you through that."

She leaned forward to rest her forehead on his shoulder, "Don't ever leave me."

"I won't, Angel, I promise. Come on, I want Dr. Gorma to check you out."

She shook her head, "I'm just tired."

Keith cupped her chin and forced her to look at him, "You look pretty beat up."

"It's nothing, really, just a bruise. What about you?" She asked, gently touching his bandage.

"I just have one hell of a headache, a slight concussion, but I'll be fine."

"You should be in bed," Allura gasped.

"Not while you were gone. Come on, baby, let's get you cleaned up and then I want you to rest."

She nodded, too exhausted to argue. A huge weight had lifted off her shoulders and she was able to breathe better now. She wrapped her arm around his waist while he wound his arm around her shoulders.

"I'm going to get her to bed," Keith told Koran. "Let me know if you need me for anything."

"Go, Captain, rest." Koran dismissed him. After seeing their interaction, the older man knew that Keith was more worried about Allura getting better than taking advantage of her.

Allura let out a sigh as they walked down the hall, "I feel like such a fool."

"Why?"

"I made such a fool out of myself, overreacting…"

"Allura," Keith interrupted. "You did not make a fool of yourself, no one thinks that. I would have reacted the same way if it had been reversed."

"You wouldn't cry."

"Are you kidding? God, Allura, if I thought for one second that I had lost you, I would go mad."

Allura tightened her arm and leaned more heavily against him.

Keith punched in the code to open her door and Allura sighed with relief when they entered. There was a fire crackling in the hearth, the room was warm and inviting.

"Do you need help?" He asked awkwardly.

"No, sweetie, I'm going to take a quick shower and change. Will you be here?"

Keith ran his hand over her cheek, "I want to go check on Dana and get a compress for your cheek, but I will be back before you get out of the shower."

She nodded.

He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, "I love you, Allura."

"I love you too," she hugged him hard.

She glanced at the clock on her bedside table, it was nearly three in the morning, almost twenty four hours since the attack. Allura didn't want to think of how long they had been on Doom, she had been unconscious when they had arrived, but she had wakened at least two hours before Dana had.

She passed the full length mirror on her closet door and stopped. Her hair was matted and limp, her face bruised and pale, her clothes torn and dirty. She couldn't look away fast enough. Tearing off the flightsuit she had been wearing, she shoved it into the trash. The water was hot and burned her sore face, but she didn't care, scrubbing the smell and feel of Doom from her body and her hair.

Stepping from the shower, she brushed her teeth and then her hair, feeling better. A long, warm nightgown hung on the back of the door and she slid it over her head, sitting down on a vanity stool, too worn out to stand any more. It felt so good to be home.

Keith was reclining back on her bed, the blankets pushed aside, his legs stretched out in front of him, crossed at the ankles. One arm was bent behind his head, while he held a cold compress in his other hand and smiled at her. "Dana tells me you were quite a hero."

Allura shook her head, "How is she?"

"She's fine, just exhausted and a little shaken up. Come here," he set the compress down and held his hand out to her.

She took his hand and sat on the edge of the bed, "I'm glad she'll be alright."

He brought her hand to his lips, "And according to her, it's all because of you."

"I had to get us out of there. I couldn't live with myself if anything had happened to your sister."

Keith blinked, she saw the moisture that had gathered there before he blinked it away. "I told Dr. Gorma how you wouldn't go see him," he said gruffly. "He suggested rest and a cold compress."

"Are you going to stay with me?"

He nodded.

"I am so tired."

"Lay down, Angel."

He moved to slide over, but she stopped him. Needing to feel him, to remind herself that he was with her and he was alive. She straddled his waist and leaned down to carefully kiss him before laying her head on his chest.

Keith found great comfort in having her laying on top of him, her legs on either side of his, her uninjured cheek against his chest, one hand on his chest beside her face and the other clutched his shoulder. He carefully laid the compress against her cheek while stroking her hair with his other hand. She grew heavier, limper as she relaxed against him and he felt a shiver run through her. He stopped his caresses long enough to pull the blankets up over them. He had never felt happier, more content than he did at this moment. His eyes slowly closed.

Without warning the door slid open and Nanny swept in with a tray. She stopped short and gaped at the scene before her. Her Princess was in bed with the Captain, wrapped around each other in a very intimate way. The china tinkled as the tray shook in her hands.

Keith opened his eyes and met Nanny's angry gaze. He didn't feel as intimidated as he might have at one time.

"What is going on?" Nanny demanded.

"Shh," Keith whispered. "She has had a really rough time and I am not going to let you upset her and I am not going to disturb her right now."

"This is totally inappropriate," Nanny hissed.

Allura moaned and shifted, her eyelids too heavy to open.

"It's alright, baby," he whispered before looking back at Nanny. "Please leave."

"This is not your place…"

"It is more my place than yours," he said quietly, daringly.

The older woman's face turned dark red.

"We will talk about this later," he continued. "When Allura is feeling better."

Nanny set the tray down and turned to the door.

"Please lock it," Keith added.

"Thank you," Allura breathed when she heard the door shut.

Nanny stood outside the door and after some inner debate, she locked it, feeling her eyes tear up. It wasn't her place anymore to look after her girl and it broke her heart.


	35. Protecting Her Virtue

Hi all!

Thank you all so much for your reviews, I really appreciate the time and thought you put into them, they mean a lot to me.  

RedLion2 ~ I am so glad you are enjoying this story, I am having so much fun writing it.  I'm afraid that Keith and Allura are both going to start rebelling against Nanny's strictness ;-)

Anony ~ Good catch on Lance's reaction :-)  Thanks for your continuing support!

Dee ~ Thank you for your review!  Nanny still sees Allura as her baby and it is so hard for her to let go.

Black Knight 03 ~ Great hearing from you!  I'm glad you're enjoying the story!

Unfortunately, due to the fact that I will be busy and traveling the next few days, my next chapter will most likely be delayed.  Sorry!

Enjoy!

Failte

************************************************************

_{{  "Oh Allura, how awful," Becca whispered, hugging Pidge tighter, imagining what the young Princess had gone through._

_"For about three of the longest hours of my life, I was afraid Keith was dead," Allura said, her voice trembling at the memory.  "If I didn't have Dana to worry about, I would have curled up in that cell and died myself."_

_Keith gently massaged the back of her neck as she leaned against him, "We were lucky, but that just goes to show how evil Lotor was."_

_"You actually told Nanny that it was more your place than hers?"  Darcy asked, impressed._

_"Yeah, well,  if she thought for one second I was leaving Allura that night, she had another thing coming," Keith muttered._

_Becca__ smiled softly, "This is like a fairy tale."_

_"You're over romanticizing again," Pidge whispered to his wife._

_"No," Darcy disagreed.  "This is romantic."_

_"To look back on our relationship now, I guess you can say it was romantic, but while we were living it, it was scary, exciting, intimidating, intense, and frustrating."  Allura said._

_Keith looked at her, "Is that flattering or not?"_

_"It didn't sound very flattering," Hunk said._

_"It makes for an awesome story, though," Paton added._

_"Well," Keith continued.  "I wasn't exactly in Nanny's good graces after that…}}_

Keith woke slowly the next morning.  Allura had slid off him during the night and was lying on her stomach, her arm wrapped across his chest, clinging to him in her sleep.  He smiled softly, pushing her hair from her face, she looked so peaceful, so beautiful.  Ignoring the dull ache in his head, he looked up at the clock.  It was ten!  Keith looked around for his communicator, wondering why no one had wakened him.

Allura moaned when he moved and tightened her grip on him, "Don't go."

"I have to, honey, it's late."

Clutching his shirt in her hand, she turned on her side and propped her head up on her other hand, looking down on him, "I don't care."  
  


Keith pushed her hair behind her ear and caressed her cheek, "You can stay here and rest, take the day off.  But I have to go and see about the repairs."

"No," she sighed and rested her head against his shoulder.  "You're injured even worse than I am and it is my responsibility to see to the repairs, it's my castle."

"Allura…"  
  


"Did you really kick Nanny out of here last night or did I dream that."

"I asked her to leave," he told her, picking up a strand of her hair and twirling it between his fingers.  "And she did."

Allura snuggled closer, softly kissing his neck and his cheek, "I love you."

"Angel, stop it," he warned.

"Why can't we just stay here forever?"  She whispered, rolling over on top of him and wrapping her arms around his neck.

"For the same reason we couldn't stay in the lake forever."

  
Allura lifted her head and looked down at him, "We'd wrinkle up?"

Keith smiled and crossed his arms over her back, "No, but something more…dangerous might happen."

"Do I have anything to fear from you, Captain?"  She cocked an eyebrow.

He rubbed her back, "You have no idea, Princess."

"Maybe…maybe I like it when you frighten me."

Keith eyes darkened as he searched her face, "Baby, if I didn't have a killer headache and if we weren't both a little over emotional because of recent events, I would take you up on that."

"I wish some things could be different."

"Like what?"

"Like I wish we weren't at war and had to worry about Doom all the time and I wish we could take a day off and just be together…"

Keith interrupted her with a kiss, "And if wishes were fishes, there'd be no room in the river for water."

Allura laughed, "What?"

"Just something I read in a book when I was younger," he shrugged.  "But we do have to get up."

With a deep sigh, she rolled off him and landed on her back.

Keith sat up and stretched, "Tell you what, lets go see how the repairs are going.  If things are clear and the work is getting done, maybe tonight we can have another date."

"You promise?"

"Depending on how the repairs are going."

"What about your family?"

"They're not invited."

Allura sat up, "Alright.  I guess I need to know what all is going on."

He gave her a quick kiss and slid from the bed, "I'm going to shower and dress."

"I'll find you later, sweetie."

"Sounds good," Keith stopped at the door and turned.  "I love you, Allura."

She smiled, "I love you too, Keith."

Keith had to admit that he loved waking up with her.  Maybe they should just get married.  They were in love and they were planning on it eventually, so what exactly were they waiting for?  To be able to fall asleep with her every night and wake with her every morning, to be able to spend as much time as he wanted with her, to completely belong to each other…it sounded so right.

He turned down the hall toward his room and stopped short when he saw Nanny.  She stopped and pulled herself up, glaring at him. 

"Nanny…"

"I am very angry, Captain."  
  


He nodded, "I know, Nanny, but you need to understand…"

"She is an innocent girl."

"Nothing happened, Nanny, she was scared and hurt and tired, I wasn't going to leave her alone."

Nanny shook her head, "I would have stayed with her.  It was totally inappropriate for you to share a bed with her when you are unmarried."

"She thought I was dead, Nanny, she didn't want me to go and I didn't want to leave her.  Nothing happened, we just slept.  I needed to be with her."

The older woman shook her head again, "It was inappropriate and it will not happen again."

"Don't worry, we will marry soon."

Red spots appeared on her pudgy cheeks, "Don't let me catch you sharing a bed again before the wedding night."

Keith stared at her, not answering.

With a sniff, she hurried past him.

Fifteen minutes later, Keith was standing in Castle Control, surveying the damage.  There were blaster holes in the wall, but the equipment had been spared.  The door needed to be repaired, the work had already started.  Mostly it was simple cosmetic repairs, the more troubling damage was the casualties, twenty three men were injured and six had died.  

It was still unclear as to how Lotor entered the castle, there were no signs of  forced entry, it was as though they had just appeared.  But that was not possible, the wards Kadmus had put up were still strong.

"The repairs should be completed by tomorrow afternoon, Captain," Koran said.

"Why didn't you wake me sooner?"  Keith asked, running his hand over a hole in the wall.

"You needed rest.  Everything has been clear, we have it under control."

"Where's my family?"  
  
"I believe they're in the rec room, Lieutenants Collier and Landers have been entertaining them."

Keith nodded, "Do you have the damage report?"  
  
"Yes, I delivered it to the Princess' study."

"Thank you."

"Do you know where the Princess is?"  The advisor asked.

"She's dressing.  She'll be here soon."

As if on cue, Allura walked in.  She had dressed in a flightsuit with her hair pulled back in a thick French braid.  A good night's sleep had done her wonders, she looked rested and determined.

Koran filled her in on what he knew and the plans to repair.  

Allura turned to Keith, "Go, be with your family, Koran and I can take care of all this. I need to meet with the families of the guards who died and then the men still in the hospital."

"Can't you put that off a little longer?"  He asked worriedly.

"You know I can't."

"You've been through so much."

She took his arm and pulled him out of Koran's earshot, "Honey, if I didn't have you, I wouldn't be able to do all this, but because I do have you, I _can_ handle it.  Go, find your family, I will come for you when I can."  
  


He stroked her cheek, "You amaze me.  You know they will understand if I stay with you."

"Go, Keith."

"Alright, but I'll be back later.  I have my communicator on me if you need me."

"I know."

"Will you have lunch with us?"

She nodded, "Fine.  Go find your mother and let her know everything is alright."

He lowered his head and whispered, "Tonight, I want to hold you all night again."

Allura smiled, feeling herself melt a little, "I love you."

Keith winked and stole a quick kiss, "Love you too, Angel."

Lance and Hunk were in the rec room with Isabelle, Dana, Gerry, Allyson, and the boys.  They were in the middle of telling his family about their adventures with Voltron.

"Oh Keith!"  Isabelle jumped to her feet and raced over to hug her youngest son.  "How are you?  How's Allura?  Where is she?"

"I'm fine, Allura's fine.  She has to meet with Koran and get some things taken care of, she'll join us for lunch."

"Good, good, come and sit, tell us how everything is going."

"Everything is fine, Mom, really, there is nothing for you to worry about."  He sat on the sofa beside Dana.  "How're you doing, Dink?"

"I'm fine," she assured him.  "I'm just glad to be back here and that everyone is okay."

"So what do we do now?"  Gerald asked.

"You don't need to do anything," Keith told him.  "We will repair and move on, just like we always do."

***************************************************

After a lunch made awkward by Nanny so obviously snubbing Keith, Koran asked to speak to the Captain in his office.  Allura followed him, curious to know what was going on, but she was stopped at the door.

"This is between the Captain and me," Koran told her.

At a loss, Allura looked to Keith for his reaction.

"What is this about, Koran?  Why can't Allura stay?"  Keith asked.

"This is just something we would like to talk to you about alone?"

"_We_?"

"Yes, Nanny and I would like to talk to you."

"Oh no," Allura swept into the room.  "You two will not gang up on Keith."

"Princess…" Koran began, but he was interrupted when Nanny entered the room.

"Princess Allura, this is between Koran, the Captain and I, now leave," Nanny demanded.

"I am not a child and it would be best if you and Koran accepted that," Allura sat primly in one of the chairs in front of Koran's desk.

Keith stepped forward when Nanny opened her mouth again, "Chances are I am going to tell her everything any way, so let's just let her stay."

Koran and Nanny exchanged looks.

"Fine," the older man sat behind his desk.  "But be forewarned, your highness, we are going to discuss a delicate matter and we didn't want to embarrass you."

"I'm not worried," she responded.  "I have nothing to hide from Keith and I don't think he has anything to hide from me."

The Captain shook his head and stood behind Allura, his hand on her shoulder.  "What is this all about, Koran?"  
  


He cleared his throat, "Nanny came to me this morning very upset, saying she found you in bed with the Princess last night."  
  


Keith rolled his eyes, "Nothing happened, Koran."

"Sleeping in bed together is _not_ nothing, Captain, it is totally inappropriate and we can not allow it."

"I feel like a broken record," Allura spoke up.  "I am not a child.  Let me say it again, just in case you didn't hear me, I am not a child.  What Keith and I do is our business, not yours."

"Protecting your virtue is our business," Nanny said.

"Oh my God," Keith murmured, blushing.

Allura's mouth fell open, "You're kidding me, right?"

"We have had to step in in your parent's absence, Princess, and we need to make sure nothing…unexpected happens," Koran said carefully.  "Now I understand what happened yesterday and I know emotions were running high.  I also know that neither of you were up to….consummating your relationship last night…"

Keith groaned and buried his red face in his hands.

"But," Koran continued.  "We cannot let what happened last night happen again."

  
Allura stood angrily, "You want to know what happened last night, Koran?  I thought the most important person in my life had died and it killed me inside.  I needed to be with Keith, I love him.  I needed to be able to touch him, to know he was alive and with me."

Nanny gasped and sputtered angrily.

"As for _my virtue_," Allura's voice rose.  "It is up to me to protect it and I can take care of myself!  All of you need to realize that I don't need to be fawned over and protected.  When I choose to give _my virtue_ to someone, I will do so willingly when Keith and I are ready."  

Keith closed his eyes and prayed for the floor to open up and swallow him.

"And when I do, we will not tell you because it is none of your business!"

"Allura," Keith croaked.

She whirled on him, "What?"

"Please shut up."

Koran cleared his throat, "This is a very delicate matter we're discussing..."

"No," Allura turned back to face him.  "We should not be discussing it at all with you and Nanny."

"We just don't want you to give your most precious gift so freely," Nanny said stiffly.

Keith took a deep breath, it was time to stop this humiliatingly awkward conversation.  "Allura has already given me the greatest gift she can, her love.  As for Allura's virtue, as you call it, I would never force her to do anything she wasn't comfortable with, I love her too much to do that.  We are going to get married and if I have to wait until our wedding night for her to be ready, then I will."  He felt Allura slip her hand into his and he reflexively curled his fingers around hers.

"You know so little about the world," Koran said carefully.

"I know more than you give me credit for," Allura replied calmly.  "And Keith is the most amazing man I know, he will be my husband so you will have to get used to us being together.  You need to accept that I am a grown woman, whether you like it or not and you need to trust that I can make the right decisions in my life.  I am who I am because of your influence and what my parents taught me."

Koran nodded tiredly.

Allura tugged on Keith's hand.  "I still have work to do, so if we are done here, I'd like to go so I can turn in early tonight."

Koran looked at Nanny, he could all but see the steam coming out of her ears.  "We're done."

Keith nodded to them and allowed Allura to lead him from the room.  

"How could you let them just leave?"  Nanny asked angrily.

"I thought you approved of the Captain."

"I did, as a boyfriend that we could groom into a potential husband, but not as someone who will treat our girl as a…a…a tramp."

Koran sighed and rubbed his hand over her face, "You know Keith is not like that and Allura would never allow herself to be treated that way.   She's right, we have to accept the fact that she is an adult now and we have to have faith in the way we've raised her."

Nanny sniffed, "Fine, but they will have a hard time hiding from me."


	36. So Close

Hi all,

Well, thanks to yet another snow storm I was stuck at home this evening and had to give up my plans.  So rather than sulk, I wrote this chapter.

Thank you so much for your reviews, I am glad that you guys are seeing the humor in this story.  There is nothing worse than when you try to be funny and no one gets it :-)

A little warning, this chapter gets a little risqué….reader beware…

Enjoy,

Failte

*******************************************

_{{  Paton wrapped her arms around her swollen stomach, laughing.  Unable to contain herself, she stood and shuffled to the bathroom, still laughing._

_"I cannot believe Nanny and Koran did that!"  Becca said, howling with laughter._

_"Oh they did," Keith assured her.  "I was never so embarrassed, no, mortified, in my life."_

_"I was just angry," Allura said.  "They thought they had the right to interfere in the most personal aspect of my life."_

_"So Nanny was angry with Allura and me and Allura was angry with Koran and Nanny and Koran and I were both stuck in the middle," Keith said.  "There is one thing you learn rather quickly about my beautiful wife, when you tell her she can't do something, she doesn't take that as advice, she sees it as a challenge."_

_"Oh come on, Keith, we couldn't just allow Nanny to dictate our relationship," she pointed out._

_"So what did you do?"  Becca asked._

_"We tried to continue our relationship as we had before," Allura explained.  "We wanted to marry, but we had to wait for the right time.  We were in the middle of a war, we were rebuilding, and there was a lot Keith needed to learn about becoming a Prince Consort."  _

_"Yeah, I had no idea that marrying Allura would pile so much more work onto my already full plate," Keith sighed dramatically.  "Now I was not only the Commander of the Voltron Force and leader of the Arusian military, I now had to assist Allura in state affairs and make appearances with her and…"_

_"Oh quit your bitching," Lance interrupted.  "Being the workaholic you are, you thrived on the added responsibilities."_

_"How old were you?"  Becca asked._

_"Um, I was eighteen and Keith was twenty-two," Allura told her._

_"You were still so young."_

_"Not really, according to history, most Arusian Queens were married and either had a baby or were pregnant before they're nineteen."_

_Paton__ waddled back into the room and settled back into her seat, "Did I miss anything?"_

_"No, we were just about to discuss the ways Allura challenged Nanny," Hunk told her._

_Allura__ shook her head, "No, Nanny made it hard for us to have any time alone or to further our relationship.  After Keith's family returned to Terra, we tried to have some kind of a normal relationship…}}_

Keith pushed the pasta around on his plate, making designs in the sauce.  His family had returned to Terra a couple of weeks before, Lotor had attacked two days earlier, Pidge had sprained his ankle in the battle, and to make matter worse, Nanny was making it impossible for him and Allura to have any time alone together.  They were reduced to a stolen kiss in the hallway or a subtle brush of the hand at the dinner table.  When they were able grab some time alone, they were always interrupted by Nanny after ten or fifteen minutes.  

They had tried at least five times to have a date of some kind, only to be told that Nanny had to come along as a chaperone.  They tried to watch a movie in the rec room and Nanny appeared, her knitting in hand, turned on the lights and settled onto the couch with them.  Another evening they tried to sneak out for a walk around the lake and made it halfway around when Nanny jogged over, red faced and out of breath.  She had stayed within three feet of them the entire time.  If she caught them sharing a kiss that lasted longer than a peck, she would appear at their side and clear her throat until they broke apart.

Keith felt a foot tap against the side of his and he automatically moved his foot out of the way.  The foot pressed on top of his more insistently.  He looked up and saw Allura sitting beside him at the head of the table, she was taking a sip from her glass and winked at him over the rim.  With a slight smile, Keith went back to playing with his food while rubbing his foot along the side of hers.

"Why do I get the feeling there is more going on here than we can see," Lance mumbled, having witnessed the wink and smile that was just exchanged.

Hunk looked up from his plate, "What are you talking about?"

"Keith and Allura."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Keith murmured as Allura ran her foot up the back of his leg.

"Leave 'em alone, Lance," Hunk said.

"Ach, Princess, sit up," Nanny swept into the room to see Allura slouching in her seat as she and Keith continued their game.  "Finish up your dinner, we have a dress fitting."

Allura looked up, surprised, "What?  No, it's late."

"Don't talk to me like that, young lady, we have an appointment with Hilla, eat up."

Allura looked pleadingly at Keith.

"Sorry, Nanny, but we have a meeting after dinner," he said.

  
Nanny put her hands on her hips, "Oh you do, do you?"

"Yes, uh, we had some problems in the battle the other day and we're all meeting to go over a few tactics."

"Oh come on, Keith," Lance whined.  "I thought we had the evening off."

Keith glared at him, "You thought wrong, Lieutenant."

"Fine," Nanny huffed.  "But as soon as you're done, you come and find me, Princess."

"I will," Allura sighed.  She slipped her hand under the table and squeezed Keith's knee.

"Hands where I can see them, young lady," the older woman demanded.

Blushing slightly, Allura set both hands on the table.  Nanny nodded and marched from the room.

"This is getting ridiculous," Keith muttered.

"What is this meeting really about?"  Pidge asked.

"There is no meeting," Keith sighed.  "We just want some time alone, but Nanny is making that really hard."

Lance raised his eyebrows, "So what do we do?"

"Disappear.  Allura and I are going to sneak away for a little while.  Don't let Nanny catch you wandering the halls, we need her to think we're having a meeting."

"For how long?"

Keith looked at Allura, she shrugged.  "An hour and a half, two hours?  If any of you see Nanny, contact me on my communicator."

Lance finished sopping up the last of the sauce with a piece of bread and popped it into his mouth.  "Shall we convene in the rec room in two hours?"

Keith nodded, "Thanks guys."

"We got your back, Cap," Hunk grinned.

Keith looked at Allura and she smiled back.  That was all he needed, jumping to his feet and grabbing her hand, Keith called to his men, "Unless it's a Nanny-Alert, I don't want to hear from any of you."

Lance watched as the door slid shut behind their Commander and the Princess, "When did we go from the most powerful force in the Universe to Nanny-Alert?"

"It's the least we can do, they're our friends and they have been through so much to be together."  Hunk said good-naturedly.

"Yeah," Lance sighed.  "Want to go to my room?  We can hide out there and watch a movie."

"Star Wars?"  Pidge asked.

"What else?"

*****************************************

Keith checked around the corner before pulling Allura into the Observation Deck and closing and locking the door behind them.  Allura wound her arms around his neck and pulled him down into a gentle kiss.

"Hi," she whispered when he lifted his head.

He smiled, wrapping his arms around her waist, "Hi."

"I've missed you."

Keith lowered his head to nuzzle and kiss her throat, "Me too, Angel."

"I know she means well, but…oh, Keith…mm…but…(gasp)…uh…what was I saying?"

With a chuckle, he led her over to one of the overstuffed chairs in front of the windows and sat, pulling her onto his lap.  "Talk to me, Allura.  How're you doing?"

"I'm fine, much better now that I'm here with you," she told him, wrapping an arm his neck and running her other hand through his hair.  "What about you?"

"Good.  Have you heard back from the Garrison about them sending men to help with the rebuilding?"

"No, but I just sent my response four days ago, it'll be a while before I hear anything."

"Mm," he said, noncommittally, toying with the pearl drop earring she wore.

"Keith?"

"Hm?  Oh, well I was thinking about their proposal.  Maybe we can negotiate with them about Voltron.  Not give them full control over him, but working with them.  With the help of the Garrison, we can really modernize Arus."

She nodded, "Koran and I have been discussing this.  They cannot have full control of Voltron, but we can offer them assistance, as needed, in the local area, as long as Arus is not in danger.  But, that would mean more work for all of us and they would most likely lower their end of bargain as well."

"Any help they can give us to rebuild and modernize Arus, will be a huge help," Keith pointed out.  "We can better equip the planet to fight."

"Yes and I would like to be able to update the University.  Education is definitely something I want to build up on Arus.  We want to have good schools for our children to attend."

"True, and I would like to see about working on the roadways and bringing cars and other forms of transportation to the planet.  We can't keep using the Lions to travel any distance further than we want to take the horses."

"We have a lot of work to do."

"Yeah, but we can do it.  You are an amazing ruler and I will help you in any way I can, so will the other guys."

"I know," Allura traced her finger down his cheek.  "What do you say we talk about this tomorrow, you can sit in on the meeting with Koran and me since we'll be discussing Voltron."

"Do you have something else in mind?"  He asked playfully, rubbing his hands over her back.

"Well, I was thinking that you did not steal us a couple of hours of alone time so we can talk about Voltron and Garrison policy."

Keith shrugged, "Well, you're wrong.  So, if you agree to this bargain…"

Allura silenced him with a kiss, fisting her hands in his hair.  Keith felt her shiver when he raced his fingers lightly up and down her back, nibbling on her lower lip before moving his mouth lower.  She let her head drop back as he kissed, nibbled, and sucked on her throat.  He smiled when she groaned as he blew gently on the spot he had just lifted his mouth from.  It was his turn to moan against her neck as she raked her nails over his back, feeling his muscles tense under the t-shirt he wore.

Keith kissed his way back up to capture her lips.  She pulled his shirt from his pants and slipped her hands up to feel his skin beneath her fingers, to feel him tremble and tense under her touch.  It amazed and excited her to know she had that effect on him.  They broke contact just long enough for her to pull his shirt over his head before wrapping themselves around each other again.

"We have to stop," Keith panted a few moments later.

"Why?"  She breathed, running her hands over his chest.

"Because if we don't, I won't be able to stop," he admitted quietly.

Allura looked down in surprise to see her blouse almost completely unbuttoned, "When did that happen?"

He shrugged, enjoying the view of her pale skin encased in a light blue bra, "Not sure."

"But you're not complaining," she smirked.

"Hell no."

  
With a smile, Allura slid her arms around him and leaned against him, trailing kisses up his shoulder, over his throat and to his lips.  She deepened the kiss when she heard a noise halfway between a groan and a whimper escape him.

"Please," he pleaded softly.  "We have to stop."

"Why?" She whispered.

"Because," Keith cleared his throat.  "If we don't, your _virtue_ will be in grave danger."

"Maybe…maybe that's alright."

He took her face in his hands and forced her to look at him, "Allura."

"I love you, Keith."  
  


"I love you too, Baby, but I don't think you…"

"I want to do this, Keith," she said shyly.  "I love you so much and I want to get as close to you as I can."

He kissed her gently, "If this is what you want."

"Do you want to?"

"More than you will ever know," he admitted huskily.

Allura shifted on his lap, feeling his excitement against her leg, "Well, maybe I do."

With a smile, Keith captured her lips again while unbuttoning the last three buttons of her blouse.  Allura felt the cool air hit her heated skin as he slid it from her shoulders.  His warm, callused hands skimmed over her shoulders and down her arms then around her back.  

It took every ounce of self-control Keith had to not throw her on the ground and take her.  The intensity of his feelings were overwhelming, love, need, lust.  It was almost too much.  She had shifted so she was straddling his lap, facing him, and they were pressed together, trying to get even closer.  He slipped his arms around her and to the clasp of her bra.  Allura gasped quietly and broke their kiss to move her mouth to his ear and press her body closer to his.  Keith was just about to remove the barrier when a loud insistent knock on the door had him dropping his hands.

"Princess!  Are you in there?"

Allura let out a little cry and buried her face in the crook of Keith's throat at the sound of Nanny's voice.

"No, not now," Keith mumbled, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

"Princess!"

Allura lifted her head to look at him, "How did she find us?"

"I don't know, but we better not let her find us like this."

"If we're quiet maybe she'll go away."

"I've never known Nanny to give up."

"I just want to be alone with you."

"Princess!"  Nanny knocked again.  "I can see that the door is locked, don't make me get a guard to break in!"

Keith swore, "I'm going to kill Lance.  The Nanny-Alert failed."

Allura smiled softly and gave him a quick kiss.  "I'm coming, Nanny!"

Keith muttered something under his breath that sounded like, "Wish I was."

Allura smacked him lightly and stood, picking her blouse up off the arm of the chair and pulling it on.  "Come on, get your shirt on," she whispered.

Keith picked up his shirt and tugged it on, not realizing it was backwards.  He slouched in the chair and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Keith," Allura hissed from the door.

"I, uh, I can't get up right now, Allura."

Her mouth fell open when realization dawned on her.  Trying not to laugh, she unlocked the door and turned to face a livid Nanny.

_{{  "Hey!"  Lance interrupted.  "Now tell them why Nanny-Alert didn't work!  It wasn't my fault."_

_Keith nodded, "Alright, alright.  He did try and contact us.  Nanny had decided that since we were in a meeting that was a good time to put clean towels in our bathrooms.  So she comes to Lance's room and finds them in there.  He tried to contact me, but, well, it didn't work."_

_"And why didn't it work?"  Lance prompted._

_Keith's cheeks reddened.  "It didn't work because in the midst of our, uh, date, my communicator was accidentally shut off."_

_Lance grinned, "Gee, Cap, how did that happen?"_

_Allura__ sighed loudly, "It fell out of his pocket in the chair and we rolled over it in a moment of passion.  Is that the answer you were looking for, Lance?"_

_"Yeah, that'll do."_

_Keith scowled at his second in command._

_"Any way," Allura said loudly.  "The day after that, um, unfortunate interruption Keith received a letter in the mail…}}_

Keith looked up from his desk and glanced across the hall.  Allura had the door to her study open and was bent over her desk, finishing some correspondence to the Garrison concerning the soldiers they were sending to help with the planet rebuilding.  He had offered to help, but she had told him that she needed to do it herself, she needed to be able to perform her duties without Koran or him doing things for her.

She had her hair pulled back in a bun and had her head down, her pen moving quickly over the paper as she made corrections to the copy she had just printed out.  After scratching out a line and rewriting it, she put the end of the pen in her mouth and gnawed on it as she scanned the rest of the page.

Keith grinned when he noticed she was wearing a gown with a high neck.  He knew she was trying to hide the sweet bruise he had tenderly marked on her sensitive neck the night before.  After giving it some thought, he was glad Nanny had interrupted them.  As much as he wanted to make love with Allura, he knew that being crammed in one of the chairs on the Observation Deck was not the best place.  He wanted her first time to be special, romantic.  Not rushed and uncomfortable.  God, how he loved her.  Just watching her now, he was filled with the urge to touch her.

As if she sensed him watching her, Allura raised her gaze and met his.  She smiled and blew him a kiss.  He winked back at her.  She looked down and went back to her work.  If he could, Keith would marry her that night, but Nanny and Koran had stepped in.  Keith needed to start taking etiquette lessons with Nanny and lessons on Arus and its history with Koran before he could become Prince Consort.

Giving in to his urge, Keith stood and walked to his doorway.  He looked both ways and saw the hallway deserted so he crossed it in two strides and entered Allura's office, shutting and locking the door behind him.

She didn't even look up, "Hi, Keith."

"Hey there, Beautiful."

"What's up?"

"I don't know," he leaned against the corner of her desk.  "I was sitting at my desk, going over the next week's schedule when I looked up and saw the most beautiful creature I've ever seen in my life."

She rolled her eyes and looked up at him, "I have to finish here."

"Let me help, we'll finish it quickly and then we'll sneak off somewhere before dinner."

"Nanny will find us."

"Pessimist."

"Honey, I really have to get this done," she said regretfully.

"Okay," he walked around behind her.  "I won't stop you."

Easier said than done, she thought.  Allura was acutely aware of how close he was and she couldn't fight the chill that raced down her spine as he ran his finger down the back of her neck and pulled aside the collar to expose the mark he had left there. 

"I had a heck of a time hiding that from Nanny," she said softly.

"Don't hide it."

"I don't want to have to explain that."

"It just lets everyone know you're mine."

"So you're marking your territory?"  She asked wryly.

"I don't think of it in such a crass way," he whispered, lowering his head to kiss the other side of her neck.  "I can give you a matching one on this side, for symmetry."

"Symmetry?"  She laughed and tilted her head back to look at him.  "Let me get my work done, Keith, and maybe we can squeeze a walk in before dinner."

"Fine," he sighed dramatically.  "But next time you want to make out, I might not be in the mood."

Allura snorted, "Yeah, right."

Keith opened the door and almost ran into Nanny who had raised her hand to knock.  The older woman scowled when she saw him.

"Nanny," Keith bowed slightly and stepped aside to allow her to enter.

  
"I guess it's a good thing you're here, Captain, I have mail for you," Nanny held a couple of envelopes out to him before crossing to lay a pile of correspondence on Allura's desk.

The Princess looked at the pile and sighed.  She knew most of the letters were pleas for assistance, most of which she couldn't give.  

"Did I interrupt something?"  
  
Allura looked up at Nanny, "What?  No, I'm just finishing up my letter to the Garrison."

"With distractions?"

Allura rolled her eyes and shifted her gaze to Keith.  He was standing rigidly staring at an envelope he clutched in his hand, two other envelopes had fallen to the floor.  "Keith?  What is it?"

He stared at the envelope a moment longer before looking up at her, his face pale and his eyes wide.

A cold feeling of dread washed over her as she stood and pushed past Nanny to go to him, "What is it?"  
  


Swallowing hard, he held it up for her to see.  The return address was that of the Garrison's main office.  His transfer.  The envelope was thick, which was not a good sign, but it was also a standard size.  Most transfers and changes of orders were sent in big manila envelopes.

"What is it?"  Nanny asked, watching the two of them stand silently.

"Can you leave us, please," Allura asked quietly, a nervous tremble in her voice.

Nanny wisely nodded and left the room quietly.

Allura reached over and punched in the code to shut and lock the door, "Well?"

"Well," he repeated.

"Open it."

Taking a deep breath, Keith slowly turned the envelope in his hand and slipped his finger under the flap, tearing it open.  His hands shook slightly as he pulled the papers out and skimmed them.

"What does it say?"  Allura asked.

"It, uh, it says they received my requests and after much consideration it was decided that I was needed too much on Arus."

Allura let out a long breath of relief.

"It would be a mistake to break up the team when we have proven to be so strong together," he continued.  "And the correspondence they received from the castle showed how important I am as the Commander of the Voltron Force and how respected I am by the Arusian governing body."

Allura threw her arms around his neck, "You're staying!"  And pressed her lips to his in an excited kiss.

"You wrote to them on my behalf?"  Keith asked when they broke apart.

"What?"

"It says they received a letter from the governing body of Arus, asking that the Garrison turn down my request for a transfer because I was needed here."

"No, I didn't."

Keith released her to flip through the other pages in the envelope.  There were copies of his requests and a copy of the letter that had been sent by…

"Koran," he said, surprised.  "Koran wrote to them."

"He did?"  Allura stood beside him read the letter.

Koran had indeed written to the Garrison explaining to them how important Keith was and how talented he had shown himself to be in battle and protecting Arus.  He went on to say it would be a huge mistake on the part of the Garrison for them to transfer Keith from this quadrant.

"We are going to have to thank him," Keith said, handing the letter to Allura.

"I think this means he really does accept us now."

"Hm," Keith grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.  "Maybe we can get him to help us with Nanny."

"The Koran Defense?"  She giggled, wrapping her arms around him.

He dropped a kiss on her forehead, "This is a good sign, Angel, everything is going to work out."


	37. The Passage Of Time

Hi all!  
  
Once again, I don't own any of the characters…just having fun with them.

Thank you so much for the reviews!  I love checking my email and finding those review alerts.  And I got my first drunken review!  Thanks, Ahbleza! :-)

This chapter ended up with a fluffier ending that I had planned, but I see this as a transition chapter, leading to something...

  
Enjoy,  
Failte

*************************************************************

"He has to be in here."

Koran heard the Princess' hushed tones before he saw her.  He was seated at a table in the library, searching through books on Arus' history, trying to figure out what would be the best way to start the Captain's lessons.

"Koran?"

He looked up to see the Princess and the Captain standing in front of his table, their fingers loosely entwined.  Allura looked truly happy and relaxed.  She hadn't looked that peaceful since, well, since the King and Queen were alive and Arus was thriving.

"Your Highness."

"We wanted to thank you, Koran."

He raised his eyebrows, "For what?"

"Keith received a letter from the Garrison today, turning down his original request for a transfer.  Part of the reason they decided to keep him here was because of the letter you sent on his behalf."

Koran nodded, "It seemed a shame to break up such a talented team and since your…personal issues have been resolved, I thought it would be best if he stayed."

"Thank you," Keith said graciously.

"It was my pleasure, Captain."

Allura released Keith's hand and sat in the chair next to Koran, "We would like to ask you a huge favor, Koran."

He looked at the young woman and when he saw the expectant smile on her face, he knew he would agree to anything to keep her as happy as she was at this moment.  "Yes?"

Allura looked up at Keith, who gave her a reassuring smile, before looking back at Koran.  "We've been having a problem lately with Nanny."

Koran chuckled but indicated for her to continue.

"Any way, Nanny has taken it upon herself to make sure Keith and I don't, uh, don't do anything inappropriate.  Which is fine, because we aren't…doing anything wrong.  But she is making it impossible for us to have any kind of relationship at all.  I know she means well, but it is really getting to us.  I have tried to ask her to back off a little, but she isn't taking me seriously.  Maybe…well, could, uh, could you talk to her for us, she'll listen to you."

Koran nodded, "I will say something to her, Princess, but I can't make any promises.  She fails to see that you have grown up, you will always be her little girl."

"I, uh, I thought she approved of me," Keith said uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh, she does," Koran assured him.  "She just doesn't approve of you taking advantage of the Princess."

"But I'm not!"

"And she's going to make sure you don't."

"Koran," Allura spoke up.  "We just want some time to get to know each other better.  We want to be able to have a date without her interrupting."

"I'll have a word with her, but I'd like to offer some advice to you, Captain, that might help your situation."

"What is it?"  Keith asked.  

"We are going to start your studies and Nanny is planning to start your training next week.  Prove to her how serious you are about this.  Show her you can be a gentleman and that you want to make Arus your home.  Show her that you aren't trying to take the Princess away from her."

"I will do anything I need to," the Captain vowed.

"Good, you can start with these," Koran pushed a pile of books toward him.  "You already know as much as I do about the Arusian military and its history and I know you have researched a few laws, and how to break them."

"We didn't _break_ any law," Allura mumbled.

"Okay, you know how to get around laws.  These are history books about Arus, its civilization, everything you need to know."

Keith looked down at the three tomes and nodded, picking them up, "No problem, Koran."

"Come on," Allura jumped up and slipped her arm through Keith's.  "I'll help you study."

********************************************************************************

Keith looked down at the elaborate place setting in front of him.  Since he had to undergo Nanny's 'Gentleman Training', it was decided all the other guys had to as well.  They had already been lectured on proper behavior in a formal party setting.  Nanny gathered all the maids and butlers in the castle and set up a fake party.  The guys had to arrive in their dress uniforms and mingle, making small talk and learning how to properly meet and introduce people.

Tonight they were learning the proper way to behave at a formal dinner.

At the moment he was looking down at a plate with a salad bowl sitting on it.  Three forks were on the left beside a folded napkin and a knife and two spoons on the right.  Above the forks was a small plate with a small knife and to the right of that plate was one large stemmed glass and two smaller stemmed glasses.  Two empty settings were placed at either end of the table for Nanny and Allura.

"Are all of these for me?"  Pidge asked picking up two of the glasses.

Hunk lifted the two spoons, "Why we need three forks and two spoons?"

Lance twirled a spoon in one hand while picking up the other, "For this."  He began to beat a rhythm on the table.

Pidge picked up the small knife and tapped on the large glass.  Hunk used two of the forks to join in.  It took Keith a moment, but when Lance started singing "We Will Rock You", he quickly picked up on the beat.

"What is going on?"

The song abruptly ended and was quickly followed by the sound of silverware clattering to the floor.

Nanny stood in the doorway, hands on her hip, glaring at the four young men.  Allura stood beside her, a hand over mouth hiding her smile.

"Pick up that silverware!"  Nanny barked.  "Put it back!  This is not how you behave!  If we had a dignitaries visiting would you be treating the table as a drum?"

"Only if they liked Queen," Lance mumbled.

  
Keith kicked him under the table.

"Now, we will leave the room and reenter," Nanny continued.  "When a lady enters the room you stand.  Captain, you will hold the chair out for the Princess.  Lieutenant Landers, you will do the same for me.  Once we are seated, you may take your seats."

"Yes, Ma'am."  The four space explorers chimed.

With that, Nanny turned on her heel and marched out the door.  Allura winked at the guys before following the older woman.

"Way to go guys," Keith muttered as the door shut.

The door slid open again and Allura glided in, followed closely by Nanny.  All four men stood as one.  Keith stepped over and pulled Allura's chair out for her, allowing his hand to brush her shoulder as he pushed it in.

The men sat and listened as Nanny explained the difference between a salad fork and a desert fork, the soup spoon and the teaspoon, and the water glass and the wine glass.  Keith watched as Lance furrowed his forehead in concentration.  The Red Lion pilot was an amazing soldier and had a great tactical mind, but was having a hell of a time keeping his forks straight.

The meal was gourmet and served in four courses with Nanny teaching and quizzing them all on the proper etiquette.  Talk was kept light, but serious.  Discussions centered around the weather and the rebuilding of Alforia.

And such the way life was turning for Keith.  He and Allura soon learned that it was not necessary for them to talk to Koran about Nanny, with all the extra work that was piled on the two of them, there was no time for them to spend together anyway.  The Garrison had agreed to send men and supplies to help with the rebuilding and Allura was overseeing all of that.  The entire planet was growing by leaps and bounds.  Keith was busy studying with Koran and his work with the Force.  He and the rest of the Force were also helping with the rebuilding and Doom was still a constant threat.  As the weeks passed, there were numerous attacks and at least three foiled attempts to kidnap the Princess.

Time passed quickly with all the work that was being done and Keith would often feel a passing twinge of shame at the thought that he was not spending enough time with Allura.  It seemed that the only time they were together was when she offered to help him study.  He knew he was trying to cram too much into too little time and fatigue was too often a problem.  He had fallen asleep at the dinner table, in his office, and in the conference room while they were going over tactics.

Allura was worried about him.  More often than not she would walk into his study and find him holding his head up, coffee at his elbow, while he studied information Koran had given him or new orders sent by the Garrison.  She knew this wouldn't last forever, but she felt guilty that most of this was because of her.  Koran had made it quite clear that they were not free to marry until Keith was properly versed on Arus, its history and laws.  But she couldn't help but feel flattered that he was going through all of this for her, for them.

It was over three and a half years since the Voltron Force had landed on Arus and the planet was so much better for it.  Schools, stores, and homes had been built.  While there were still attacks, the people of Arus felt safer and had grown bolder, not always running for cover when there was a fight, but running out to fight back.

Allura knocked on the closed door to Keith's study one afternoon.  He had missed lunch and she carried a tray with a sandwich, hoping to get food into him.

"Come in," he called out tensely.

"Hey, how are you?"  She asked, entering and shutting the door behind her.

He was sitting at his desk, two books open in front of him, his computer on, and a letter from the Garrison in his hand.  "Fine."

"Oh honey," she walked around the desk and took the letter from him, scanning it.  "This can wait, take a break."

Rubbing his eyes, Keith leaned back in his chair and let out a long groan, "It can't wait."  
  


"Yes it can, here, eat something, you're going to work yourself into an early grave."

"The sooner I learn all this, the sooner I am done and we can get married."

"Keith," she rubbed his shoulders.  "We have plenty of time.  I worry about you."

"I'm fine."

She slid her arms around his neck and laid her cheek on the top of his head, "What can I do to help?"

He rubbed his hand over her arm, "You're doing it right now."

"It just seems like we're always working," she whispered.

"It's not forever."

"It just seems like it."

With a sigh Keith turned his chair and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her onto his lap, "Are you hoping I'll ask you on a date?"

"I wouldn't mind going into town and checking out the progress."

He tightened his arms around her waist and laid his head on her shoulder, "I meet with Koran in two days, we can go after that.

"What are you studying now?"

"I have to be able to name the last fifty monarchs, list the ten laws added during King Aden's rule and the effects the 'Laws of Adair' have had on Arus."

"I don't even know all that," she admitted, kissing the top of his head.

"I just have a lot more to prove."

"Not to me."

"If only it was just you and me."

"Let's pretend it is."  She took his face in her hands and forced him to look at her, "Let's pretend it's just you and me, lets forget everything outside this room."

He kissed her gently and laid his head on her chest, feeling the gentle rise and fall as she breathed, listening to the quickening beat of her heart as she ran her hands through his hair soothingly.  "I love you," he murmured.

"I love you too, sweetie," she kissed the top of his head.  

His head grew heavy on her and his arms fell limply around her.  Allura smiled when she realized he had dozed off.  "Keith?"

"Hm?"

"Come on, you can't be comfortable," she stood and held her hands out to him.

"What?"

"Come on, take a break."  She led him over to a couch that was set up on the wall beside the desk.  Allura had the couch brought in when it became obvious that he was spending a lot more time in his study, she wanted him to have a place to lay down when he needed it.

Allura sat on the couch and smiled as Keith settled himself down with his head on her lap.

"Ten minutes," he mumbled.

Allura reached over and picked a book up off the corner of his desk.  She flipped through it as Keith began to snore softly.

**************************************************************

It was nearly an hour later when Keith's communicator woke him.  He sat up quickly, unclipping it from his belt, "Whitaker."

"Hey, Cap, just wanted to let you know that a delivery has just been dropped off for you," Lance said cheerfully.

Keith looked at his watch, his eyes widened, "I'll be right there, Lance, thanks."  He snapped the communicator shut and turned to Allura, "I thought I had said ten minutes."

She shrugged, "You needed rest."

"But I don't have time to…"

"Yes you do," Allura interrupted.

He stood and stretched, "Thank you for the break, Allura."

She stood and rose on her toes, giving him a quick kiss, "Any time."

"I have to get moving."

"Don't skip dinner tonight."

"I won't," he promised.

Allura watched him as he left his study and jogged down the hall to Castle Control.

"What's going on?"  Keith asked Lance.

Lance held out a small package, "This was delivered for you, Cap."

He took the box and stared at it a moment before realization dawned on him.  "Oh, wow, I didn't think it would be ready so soon."

"What is it?"

Keith looked around the nearly deserted room, "Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

Grabbing Lance's arm, he pulled his friend over to a more secluded corner of the room.  Keith sliced through the tape on the box with his pocket knife and dug into the packing material, pulling out a small jewelry box.

The Red Lion pilot's eyes widened, "Is that what I think it is?"

Keith grinned and pulled it open.  Nestled in the velvet insert was a ring of gold with a heart shaped solitaire diamond.  It was simply, elegantly beautiful.  "What do you think?"

"Wow," Lance breathed.  "I can't believe you're really going to propose."

"Yeah, I think she's waited long enough.  It's becoming harder to come up with excuses."

"When are you going to do it?"

Keith shrugged, "Not sure, when the moment's right, I guess."

"Captain!"

Keith jumped and snapped the box shut, hiding it behind his back as he turned, "Yes, Koran, what is it?"

"What are you hiding?" 

"Uh, nothing, what do you need?"

"Have you seen the Princess?  There is a call coming in from Pollux."

"I believe she's in her study, she should have her communicator on her."

Koran nodded and left to find the Princess.

"Pollux?  I hope everything's alright."  Keith shoved the ring box in his pocket and tossed the packaging in the trash.

"There's only one way to find out," Lance said, sauntering over to the main videophone.

It took roughly two minutes for the call to be connected.  Allura hurried into the room and stood with the two men, watching the graphics on the screen as it counted down to connection.  She nervously slid her hand into Keith's.  It had been over a week since they had last heard from Doom and she was worried that Lotor had turned on Pollux.

"Allura?"

The picture flickered and then the image of Romelle and Sven came into view.

"Romelle, Sven how are you?  Is everything alright?"  Allura asked hurriedly.

"Alright?"  Romelle asked.  "Everything is great!  We wanted you guys to be the first to know."

"Know what?"  Keith asked.

Sven took Romelle's left hand and held it up for them to see, "Ve're getting married."

Allura gasped and clasped her hands together, "That's wonderful!  Congratulations!"

"Way to go, Sven," Lance grinned.  "Oh, and you too, Romelle."

"Congratulations," Keith added.

"Have you set a date?"  Allura asked.

"It will be a few months," Romelle said.  "We want to wait for the chapel to be rebuilt, I want to marry here.  But I was just so excited, I want to tell you."

"Now de ball's in your court," Sven teased.

"Thanks, Sven, no pressure there," Keith muttered.

Romelle swatted her fiancé's arm, "Stop that, Sven."

"I take it Bandor approves?"  Allura asked.

"Sven has done a great job helping with our military, I don't think Bandor would know what to do without him."

"So you're officially settling on Pollux?"  Keith asked unnecessarily.

Sven nodded, "_Ja_, my family vasn't too happy to hear dat, but now dat ve are getting married, dey vill probably be more accepting."

"You haven't called them yet?"

"Ve vanted to tell you all first."

"I am so glad you did," Allura said.

"As long as things are clear," Romelle said.  "We were thinking about coming to visit, if it's alright."  
  


"That would be great," Allura assured her.

"Good, because I want you to help me plan the wedding and I know you can't really leave Arus."

"Great!  When can we expect you?"

  
"We were thinking in about two weeks."

**********************************************************************

The next evening found Keith and Allura in his study.  She had shown up, offering to quiz him so that they could go on their date the next night, but now they were cuddled up on the sofa.  Keith was sitting with a book open on his lap, making notes in a notebook on the arm of couch.  Allura was sitting sideways with her back against Keith's side, his arm around her holding her close to him, while she went over the building proposals some contractors had dropped off earlier.

Allura read the same page and added the same numbers together four times.  She was jealous.  She would never tell Keith that, but she was.  The phone call with Romelle the day before had brought it all to the surface.  She wanted to be engaged too, planning a wedding, picking out a dress, preparing for their future together.  It would come someday.  She and Keith were going to marry, she knew that, but when?  Why did he keep putting it off?  Was he having second thoughts?  Was she asking too much of him?  

"Keith?"

"Hm?"

Allura set the papers down and turned to face him, "I want to ask you a question."

"Okay," he set his pen down and looked up at her, noticing how nervous she seemed.  "What is it?"

She licked her lips and rubbed her hands on her thighs, "Will you marry me?"

Keith stopped himself from automatically assuring her he would.  With a smile, he asked, "Are you proposing to me?"

She nodded.

"No."

Her eyes widened and her cheeks reddened, "No?"

"No."  He reached out and twirled a lock of her hair around his finger.  "You will not steal my thunder on this.  _I _will propose to _you_."

"Don't be so old fashioned," she whined.  "I can propose to you."

"Yes you can, but that doesn't mean I'll accept it."

She stuck her lower lip out in a cute pout, "Well, maybe I won't accept when you finally get around to it."

"Allura, you know why I'm waiting.  We have to wait for Koran and Nanny to finish making me over."

  
"You're fine the way you are."

He smiled and leaned forward so his forehead rested against hers, "But I'm not good enough for you yet."

"That's not true."

"I promise to make it worth the wait, Angel, but you won't be expecting it."

She sighed and turned away, picking up her paperwork, "Fine."

"Damn Sven," Keith muttered.

  
"I heard that."

He slung his arm around her, "You know I love you, right?"

"Yes."

"And that I want to spend the rest of my life with you?"

"So you say."

Keith laughed, "I wouldn't love you half as much if it wasn't for your spirit."

"Yeah, well, my spirit and I are getting sick of waiting."

"Then you're going to have to leave me alone to study."

"Fine," Allura scooped up her paperwork.  "I'll leave you."  
  


"No," he grabbed her hand and yanked hard, pulling her onto his lap.  "You can quiz me."

"I thought I was a distraction."

"Oh, you are," he whispered wickedly.  "But you're the best kind of distraction."

Allura tilted her head back as he kissed his way up her neck to the spot just below her ear that always sent shivers down her spine.

"I'm sorry about the waiting," he breathed into her ear.  "I don't know about long engagements, and I certainly don't want to worry about Lotor crashing our wedding."  
  


She snaked her arms around his neck, "I know, honey."

"And you know it will only anger him more if it became common knowledge that we were engaged."

Allura groaned and buried her face in his neck, "I don't want to have to let him dictate our lives."

"He isn't, Allura, I just want you to be safe, I don't want to put a big bullseye on you."

She lifted her head and looked at him, "I've had a big bullseye on me my entire life, if anything you have a bullseye on you because of me."

"He doesn't want me."

"No, but he will use you to get to me."

"I'll be fine, Allura."

"So will I."

Keith twirled a lock of hair around his finger.  He couldn't stop touching it.  It was so soft and fragrant, he loved playing with it, burying his face in it.  "If you think about it, we're pretty much engaged now.  We know we're going to get married, we're going to be together the rest of our lives and raise a castle full of children."

She rested her head on his shoulder, her eyes closed, enjoying the feel of his fingers as they combed through her hair, "All you need to do is ask me.  For real."

It wasn't what he wanted to do, it wasn't what he meant to do.  But as Keith sat there, holding her close, he knew this was the moment.  He stopped stroking her hair to reach into his pocket and pulled out the small box.  Bringing it around in front of her he added, "Well, that and a ring."

Allura opened her eyes and gasped.

"I love you, Allura, completely, and I want us to spend the rest of our lives together," he whispered into her hair.  "Marry me and share my life with me."

She tilted her head back to look at him with moist eyes, "Are you serious?"

He chuckled, "Yes, I'm serious."

She sniffed and looked back at the box in his hand, "I have to see the ring before I agree."

Keith laughed as he flipped open the box, "Marry me, Princess.  Complete my life."

Allura brought her hands up and covered her mouth, too overcome to speak.

  
"Will you?"

She nodded and held her hand out.  Keith slipped the ring out of the box and onto the third finger of her shaking hand.  Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

Keith rubbed her back and smiled as she sniffled and clung to him.  It was official now.

Allura pulled back and looked at him, "You were planning this for tonight?"

He shook his head, "No, I wanted to do something more romantic."  

"This was romantic enough."

Smiling, he stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers, "I surprised you?"

She nodded.

"The real reason I was stalling was because I wanted to get the right ring before I proposed."

Allura held her left hand out in front of her, "Yes, well, I think you got it right."

"Good."  He framed her face and brought her close for a kiss.

"Can I call Pollux now?" She asked when they broke apart.

"I'm thinking we should keep a low profile for a while, just until we know we can handle whatever Lotor throws at us."

"We've dealt with everything he's thrown us so far and I wanna showoff," she whined, laying her hand flat on his chest and studying her ring.

"I think we should keep it within the castle walls, just for now."

"Okay," she kissed him.  "I love you, Keith, so much."  She leaned down to kiss him again.

A loud, sharp knock on the door interrupted them.

"Princess!"

Keith tightened his arms around her, holding her in place as Nanny called to her.

"Princess, are you in there?"

Allura groaned against his lips.

He fisted his hand in her hair, not allowing her to break the kiss.

"Nanny?"

"What is it Koran?"

Allura broke the kiss and grinned down at her fiancé as her advisor came to their rescue.

"I, uh, I need your help."  They heard Koran say to Nanny.

"With what?"  Nanny asked.

"With, um, with what else I need to go over with the Captain."  
  


"Oh, you know that better than I do."

Koran sighed loudly, "Leave them alone, Edina."

"But…"

"You have to get used to the idea that the Princess is a grown woman and she needs time with the Captain."

"But…"  
  


"But nothing."

Whatever else was discussed between the two faded out as Koran led Nanny down the hall, away from Keith's study.

"We are going to name our first born after Koran," Keith mumbled.

  
"And if it's a girl?"

"Korana."


	38. Two Scorned Hearts

Keith watched Allura out of the corner of his eye as they walked down what was becoming the main street of Alforia.  Storefronts had gone up and merchandise was being unloaded into the buildings.  The University and schools for younger children were completed with limited classes taking place.  The orphanage was finished and furnished, the children had been moved in and guards had been placed to make sure they were safe.  Neighborhoods were beginning to take shape and a large park was being constructed.

Allura gnawed on her lower lip, taking in the changes that had sprung up.  It is really happening, she thought excitedly.  Arus was once again going to be what it once was.  They were going to thrive, the economy was going to grow.  It was so exciting.  As she took it all in, she couldn't help but think of her parents and a lump began to form in her throat.

"You okay?"  Keith whispered.

Allura smiled and nodded to a man who walked passed.  "This is amazing, Keith."

"Yeah, it is."

She stopped and looked at him, "And it wouldn't be possible if you guys hadn't come here."

"We just helped, it wouldn't have happened without your leadership."

Allura grinned, "We did it together."

"And it's just the start."

They made their way down to the far end of the shops where construction was taking place.

  
"Princess," the foreman tipped his helmet to her.  "How are you this beautiful day?"

"Just fine, Mr. Hiller, how are you?"

"Great, great.  Things are going well.  We should have this building done by the end of the month."

"Wonderful.  It amazes me how much work you have completed, you are doing a terrific job and you have so much to be proud of."

"Thank you, Ma'am."

"Barring any unforeseeable interruptions," Keith spoke up.  "My men and I should be down tomorrow to help."

"Sounds good, Commander, we can use any help we can get," Hiller said.  "I believe Ms. Zipner is moving into her shop today."

"Well, we'll have to stop in and see how she's doing," Allura told him.  "Thank you so much and keep up the great work."  
  


"This is just incredible," Keith murmured as they walked past the already completed buildings.

"I know, we're already way ahead of schedule, at least by three weeks."   Allura ran her hand over the brick façade of the storefront they were passing.

"Now what kind of store is Ms…Zipner, is it, opening?"

"Yes, Rowena Zipner, she and her mother are reopening the bakery her family had built years ago.  It had been destroyed and her father passed away last year, so she and her mother and her sister, Cecelya, are planning to restart his business.  They were the first the rent out a storefront."

"Sounds nice."

Allura slipped her hand into his and said slyly, "You'll recognize Rowena when you see her, she's Euclida Remikade's best friend."

Keith rolled his eyes, "You don't think she'll be there, do you?"

  
"You mean you didn't keep in touch with, _Lida_?"

"Knock it off, Allura."

"What?  Are you ashamed of your ex?"

"You're asking for it."

"And what would _it_ be, Captain?  Did you give _it_ to Lida?"

Keith stopped short, "When are you ever going to get over that?"

"You used her to try and make me jealous," Allura teased.

"No, I did not use her, I was fond of her."

"Are you still fond of her?"

  
"Don't be silly, Allura."

"It's a legitimate question, Keith, you two had been close."

He sighed.  If he lived to be a thousand, he would never understand how his beautiful, smart, kind Princess could even think he would look at another woman when he had her. 

"Allura, I love you, nothing is going to change that," he assured her.  "Yes, I dated Euclida and I have dated other girls in the past, but if I hadn't had those relationships then I wouldn't have known what love really was when I fell in love with you."

Allura pursed her lips and studied him a moment, "Did you really just come up with that?"

He nodded.

"Smooth, Captain, very smooth," she took his hand again and they continued toward the future Zipner's Bakery.

The door was propped open with a piece of brick, allowing fresh air to breeze through.  Laughter and the sounds of hammer on wood greeted them as Allura stood in the doorway.  Rowena and her sister were sitting on the floor putting together shelves while their mother polished the counter.

"Hello," Allura knocked on the door.

"Oh, your highness," Mrs. Zipner turned to the door as the hammers stopped.  "To what do we owe this visit?"

"Please, continue working," she told them.  "The Captain and I were exploring the work being done and I was told you were setting up shop.  I thought we would stop by and see how everything was going, if you needed anything."

"We're getting along just fine, Princess, thank you very much.  Would you like a tour?"

"That would be lovely."  Allura allowed Mrs. Zipner to lead her through the front and to the back room.

"Here, let me," Keith stepped forward quickly to help the two girls lift the shelves into an upright position.  "This looks great, good handiwork."

"Our father put his bakery together by himself and we helped," Rowena explained, wiping the back of her hand over her forehead.

Keith looked around, taking in the walls painted a friendly green, the polished wooden counter and the matching shelves.  "Well, it looks like it is really coming together.  How much more do you need to do?"

"We need to stock the larder and we're waiting for our stove, it's coming from Planet Ugina.  We should be ready to open in another week, around about the same time the shop next door opens."  
  


"It won't be long before the entire town is thriving again."

The young woman nodded, "I'm sure it will be."  
  


"Ro!  I have the fabric you ordered, I picked it up when I got the…"  Euclida trailed off when she entered the shop and saw Keith.  "Keith."

"Euclida, how are you?"

"I'm fine, and yourself?"

"I'm great.  How's your father doing?"

"Very well, busy with the rebuilding, but he's well.  And the others…are well?"  
  


"Yes, everyone is fine."  Keith hated these awkward moments of loud silence.

Euclida looked down at the checked fabric in her arms before asking, "And the Princess?"

"She's great, she's, uh, here…now."  Keith nodded toward the door leading to the back.

"I hear the two of you are seeing each other."

"Yes."

Euclida nodded, "Well, I wish you only happiness."

"Thank you."

"I can't say I'm surprised."

"No one is," Rowena added.

  
Keith blushed, embarrassed that his personal life was fodder for the town rumor mill.

"This is just wonderful, Mrs. Zipner, you have done such a terrific job," Allura said as she entered the room again.  "I remember when my father would bring me down here for the half-moon cookies you used to have."

"We'll have them again, your highness, I still have the recipe," Mrs. Zipner smiled.

  
"Wonderful, let me know when the first batch is ready and I'll take a dozen."  Allura's smile flickered when she saw Euclida standing beside Keith.  "Ms. Remikade."

Euclida curtsied, "Your highness."

A moment of awkward silence once again filled the air.  Taking control of the situation, Allura turned to the matriarch of the family and clasped her hand in both of hers, "I am so glad we had the time to stop in.  Please, let me know if there is anything at all that you need."

The older woman smiled and laid her other hand on top of their joined hands, "It was an honor to see you, your highness, I hope you'll…" She trailed off and removed her hand, looking down.  "Your highness, is that what I think it is?"

Allura looked up at Keith, her eyes wide and watched his mouth fall open.

"Uh, well, um, it is, but, uh…" Allura was blushing.

  
"It is, Mrs. Zipner," Keith crossed over to stand with Allura.  "But we're going to ask you to keep it quiet, please.  Because of safety reasons, we're keeping it under wraps for now."

Rowena stepped closer, followed by her sister, "What is it?  Are things getting worse with Doom?"

"You are safe," Keith assured her in his confident Commander voice before turning back to Mrs. Zipner and lowering his voice.  "We don't want Lotor to know, so please keep it to yourself."

"Of course," Mrs. Zipner nodded and tightened her hold on Allura's hand.  "You can depend on us."

"Thank you," Allura smiled.  "We must be returning to the castle, though."  
  


The three women saw Keith and Allura to the door, Euclida standing to the side, watching them.

"I can't believe the Princess and the Captain were just here," Cecelya sighed.  "They are so romantic together."  
  
Rowena jabbed her sister in the side with her elbow, "Quiet, Cece."

Euclida cleared her throat, "Are they, uh, are they engaged?"

"It looks that way," Mrs. Zipner said dreamily.

"He is _so_ handsome," Cecelya whispered to her mother.  "Can you imagine what the wedding will be like?"

"It will be like a fairy tale, but we have to keep it quiet.  For the Princess' sake."

Rowena watched as her friend's jaw tightened, "Euclida…"

She shook her head and shoved the fabric into Rowena's hands, "I have to go."

"What's wrong with her?"  Ceceyla asked.

  
"She's still in love with the Captain," Rowena sighed.

"I thought she was over that.  We all knew the Princess and the Captain were destined to be together."

"There was a time when she had hoped it could be different."

"Come on, girls," Mrs. Zipner clapped her hands. "Let's finish getting the shelves up and we'll lock up for the day."

***************************************************************

"I should have taken the ring off," Allura cried as they walked back to the castle.  
  
"Don't worry about it, it was silly to think we could keep it quiet any way," Keith took her hand.  "We are the most talked about couple on the planet."

"I don't think Mrs. Zipner and her daughters will say anything."  

"Hm."

"But Euclida…" she trailed off.

"She won't tell anyone."  
  


"Are you sure?"  
  


Keith shrugged.

"What happens now?"

  
"I don't want you to worry, Allura, everything will be just fine."

She nodded and they walked on in silence.  It was a beautiful day with just enough of a breeze to blow aside any standing heat.  Birds were singing, a sound that, until recently, had been nearly nonexistent.

"Keith?"

"Hm?"  
  


"Does this mean we can call Pollux tonight?"

**********************************************************

The news of their engagement spread quickly and congratulatory notes and telegrams began arriving a week after the discovery at the bakery.  Mrs. Zipner had even sent a dozen half-moon cookies along with a note.  

Keith knew it had been Euclida who had let the news slip, he just wasn't sure if it had been on purpose or not.

"Okay, Romelle and Sven are supposed to be here in two days," Allura entered his study and flopped down on the couch.  "I can't wait to show them everything that has been done in town."

"Is that all you're looking forward to?"  He teased.

"Well, I guess there will be a little time to discuss weddings," she said stretching her hands out in front of her and looking at her ring.

"A little?"

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Aren't you guys going to talk about the weddings?"

Keith shrugged, "Nah, we'll probably sit around and grunt while scratching ourselves."

"Fine," she sighed deeply.  "I guess it'll be up to us to plan."

"Allura, you have plenty of time.  It will be at least another year before we can marry."

"I know.  Stupid Lotor."

  
He threw his head back and laughed.  "I thought we were also waiting because you wanted to wait until the planet was in better shape."

"I know."  
  


"And I have to go through some Garrison red tape to see if I can be permanently assigned here."

"I know."

Keith stood from behind his desk and sat on the couch beside her, flinging his arm across the back, "We're meeting Nanny today for dance lessons."

When they had told Nanny that they were engaged, she cried for her "little girl all grown up."  But the tears dried quickly when Allura reminded her they had a wedding to plan now.

Allura tilted her head to rest against his shoulder.  "You're being such a good sport about all this."

He shrugged, "This is stuff I have to know if I'm going to be a Prince Consort."

She looked up at him, "I wish you could be named King."

Keith smiled down at her, "It's not my title that's important, it's that I get to be with you."

Allura kissed him gently, "And I am so glad you're going to be ruling with me."

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?"

With a groan, Keith lifted his head and looked at Lance who was standing in the doorway, "What do you want, Lieutenant?"

"Mail call," Lance walked in carrying more envelopes and a floral arrangement.  "It really did not take long for your engagement to spread.  There's even one here from my mother."

Allura jumped up and grabbed the mail from Lance.  She loved getting all these cards and notes, they were piling up in her room and she was planning to eventually put them all together in a scrapbook.

Keith took the flowers from Lance and read the card, "These are from the ruling family on Planet Cadica."

Allura glanced up from her seat at Keith's desk where she was tearing into the cards, "They're lovely."

He set them on a table by the couch and ruffled through the envelopes she had yet to open.  "What's this one?"  He held up a dark purple envelope with no return address.

Lance shrugged, "They all arrived together."

"What is it?"  Allura asked.

  
Keith picked up his letter opener, sliced open the envelope and read the note inside.  "Shit."

"Lotor?"  Lance asked.

Keith nodded, "I guess he has heard."

Allura stood, "What is it?"

"Don't worry about it," he crumpled the note up.

"Let me see it."

"We knew he would eventually find out."

"Let me see it, Keith."

"It's nothing, I'll take care of it."

Lance, sensing that this was about to get personal, sneaked from the room, closing the door behind him.

"Stop trying to shield me from everything, Keith, we're in this together."

Despite his better judgment, he handed her the piece of paper.

Allura laid it on the desk and smoothed out the wrinkles as best she could.

                           **My Dear Princess Allura,**

**            Word has reached me that you have agreed to marry the Commander of the Voltron Force.  I must say that I am terribly disappointed in you.  He is beneath you and it is an insult to your heritage to take such a man as a husband.**

**            My offer of marriage still stands.  It would be beneficial for you to reconsider.  I can offer you and your planet wealth and growth.  It would be best for you, Arus, Doom, and all of our people if we joined together in marriage.**

**            I will be awaiting your answer.**

**                        Respectfully Yours,**

**                                    Lotor, King of Doom**

"Allura?"

She looked up at the man next to her.  The sweet, wonderful, strong man she was going to marry.

"He won't get to you.  Don't even think of responding."

"I wasn't going to.  I just…"  She trailed off.

He slipped his arm around her shoulders, "What is it?"

"It's just, well, what he says about it being beneficial for me and my planet to marry him.  He sounds like Prince Kelton when he proposed to me."

"I never liked that guy."

"Neither did I."

Keith kissed the top of her head, "Come on, we have to meet Nanny in about ten minutes."

  
Allura crumpled the letter up again, feeling uneasy.  Part of her had wished she had listened to Keith and had not read the letter, but she also realized she had to know.  If there was a threat, she had to be prepared for it.

*********************************************************

Keith sat in the chair in front of the main console in Castle Control watching the monitors.  The note they had received the day before from Lotor had him feeling unsettled.  He was quite tempted to send Lotor a letter and tell him what he could do with his offer.  But acting passionately rather than logically almost always had bad consequences.

He sighed and leaned his head against the back of the chair.  Their dance lessons had been rather unproductive.  Being so close together meant they were frequently snatching kisses and getting yelled at by Nanny.  A smile crept across his face as he remembered how Allura teased and flirted every time Nanny turned her back.  God, how he loved her.  He didn't want to wait any more than she did, but there were so many things they needed to consider.  They were not just another normal couple.

A light blinked on the screen to the left of the main monitor.  Before Keith could react, his communicator beeped.  "Whitaker."

One of the guards on duty out front responded, "Captain, there is a woman here who says she needs to speak with you."  

"Who is it?"

"A Miss Rowena Zipner."

"What?"

"I think you better come out here, Commander."

"I'll be there in a moment," Keith said, snapping his communicator shut.  He waved a guard over and placed him at the console with instructions to contact him if there were any problems.

"I want to talk to Keith!"

  
"Yes, Ma'am, he's on his way."

Keith stepped out into the cool evening air and took in the scene before him.  Private Layden was standing, his feet spread and his arms crossed over his chest, blocking the way of the two women in front of him.  Rowena was holding Euclida by the arm, trying to stop her.

"Is everything alright?"  He asked.

"No, it isn't!" Euclida said loudly.

  
"You're dismissed, Private, I can handle this."

Layden nodded and saluted, "Yes sir."  
  


Keith lowered his voice, "What's going on, Euclida?"

She swayed slightly and her words were slurred when she spoke, "You used me."

"You're drunk."

"I'm really sorry about this, Commander," Rowena spoke up.  "She showed up at my house like this and told me she was going to talk to you.  I tried to stop her."

"It's alright," Keith assured her before turning back to the intoxicated woman.  "You need to go home, Lida, and sleep this off."

"You used me!  You never loved me, you used me to get the Princess' attention!"  
  


Rowena blushed, embarrassed for her friend, and tugged on Euclida's arm, "Come on, Lids, let's go home."

She ignored her friend, wrenching her arm from her grasp, "Not until he admits he used me!"  
  


"I didn't use you," Keith said calmly.  "I did like you, I _do_ like you, as a friend."

"If she wasn't the Princess you wouldn't have even noticed her!"

Keith clenched his teeth, reining in his temper, "Go home, Euclida, I'll have a guard escort you."  He waved over Private Layden and turned back to the women where he was greeted by a slap in the face.

Rowena gasped in shock and tried to grab her friend's hand.  "I am so, so sorry, Commander, she isn't herself.  She is going to be really sorry in the morning."

Keith laid his hand on his cheek, "Just get her home."

"I will," she promised pulling hard on her friend's arm.

"Damn you!"  Euclida cried.  "You can't just toy with a person's feelings."

Keith ignored her and instructed Private Layden to make sure the two women got home safely.  He waited a moment and watched while Rowena and the Private each took one of Euclida's arms and half carried, half dragged her away from the castle.  With a sigh, Keith turned back toward the castle and saw Allura standing in the doorway, silhouetted against the light coming from inside.

"Is everything alright?"  She asked as he trudged toward the door.

"Yeah.  What are you doing here?"

"I went to Castle Control and Private Fforden told me you were called out front because of a disturbance."

He stopped right in front of her and reached out to straighten the shawl she had wrapped around her shoulders, "It was Euclida, she had a little too much to drink."

"Oh."

"Don't worry about it.  Rowena and Private Layden are taking her home."

Allura nodded.

"What is it?"

"She _is_ beautiful."  
  


"Allura…"

"And she is the smartest woman I've ever met, smarter than me."

"Allura…"  
  


"She could probably…"

Keith cut her off by stepping up and kissing her.  "Stop it," he whispered when they broke apart.  "Stop comparing yourself to her because no one can compare to you."

Chewing on her lower lip, Allura nodded and stepped aside to let him enter.

"I mean that," he said, taking her hand.

She smiled up at him, "I know."

"So what did you want?"

"What?"  
  
"You said you went to Castle Control.  What's up?"

"Oh, well, Koran and I finally finished processing the numbers for the stores in town and I thought I would stop by and see you."

"No reason?"

"Just that I wanted to see you."

He squeezed her hand, "That's a good reason."

"When is your shift over?"

"Another hour."

"It is getting late," she said, thoughtfully.  "Maybe you can swing by and wish me a good night when you're done."

"Maybe," he winked at her.  "You need to get some sleep, Romelle and Sven are arriving early tomorrow."

"Fine," Allura tried to pull away from him.  "I'll just leave you now."

He didn't let go of her hand, "I'll see you in an hour, Beauty."

"Only if I open the door, Beast."

Keith laughed and kissed her quickly before dropping her hand, "You're such a tease."


	39. Sassatude And Talks Of Weddings

_{{  "Wait a second," Becca interrupted.  "So Euclida did let it out about your engagement?"_

_"She told her father while there were other people there, it spread like wildfire," Keith explained._

_"Whatever happened to her?"_

_"Stop interrupting and you'll find out."_

_"Did she ever get over you?"_

_Keith rolled his eyes, "It wasn't like that."_

_"What happened with Lotor?  I can't believe he sent that letter," Becca said._

_Lance snorted, "He always had a set of steel…ow!"  He smacked Darcy's hand when she pinched his leg._

_Keith smirked, "He gave us a couple of days to respond and when we didn't, he decided to come and get the answer in person…}}_

"Romelle!"  Allura jumped up and down excitedly when the steps were lowered and Romelle and Sven exited their ship.

The two women embraced and giggled, both trying to talk at the same time.  

Keith was never a fan of giggly girls, they tended to get on his nerves.  But when he watched the woman he loved as she spoke with the one close female friend she had, the fact that she was feeling safe enough to have fun, to be a free young woman, he found that he didn't mind giggly girls as much as he once did, at least certain ones.

"Hey, Keit," Sven approached him, a large duffle bag thrown over his shoulder.

  
Keith took the hand he offered as they partook in the traditional male, handshake-half-hug-back-slap.  "Hey, Sven, it's great to see you again, buddy."

"Vhat have ve gotten ourselves in to?" Sven whispered as they watched their fiancées chatting.

"I have no idea, man, but I think it's a good thing."

"As long as ve survive de vedding planning and de actual ceremony."

"I figure if you can, I can."

"So de pressure's on me?"  
  


"Yup."

"Tanks, man."

"What are friends for?"  Keith shrugged as they followed the women into the castle.

"Have you heard anyting more from Lotor?" Sven lowered his voice as he followed Keith.

"No, which worries me."

"How long has it been since de last attack?"

"Nearly a month."  
  


Sven whistled lowly.

"Yeah.  I've upped the number of guards on duty at any one time and the Garrison has ships out scouting for us."

"Maybe he is finally getting de hint," Sven shrugged.

"I'd like to think so, but we can't let our guard down."

"Keith, can you show Sven where their rooms are, please," Allura asked.  "Romelle and I are going to go talk."

"Where are you going?"

The Princess rolled her eyes in a disrespectful manner that he knew she had picked up from Lance.  "Just to the Observation Deck.  If you're good, maybe you can join us."

"Hey, I don't need any of your sassatude," Keith teased.

Allura stuck her tongue out at him.

"Sassatude?"  Sven asked.

"Sassy attitude," Keith explained.  "Allura's full of it."  
  


"Yeah, well, you're full of something," she muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, dear, we'll see you later," Allura called over her shoulder as she grabbed Romelle's arm and pulled her to the Observation Deck.  "Okay, let me see it, I've been dying to see it for real."

Romelle proudly extended her left arm.

"Oh, Romelle, it's beautiful," Allura examined the ring on her cousin's finger.  It was a platinum band with a diamond at least a full carat in size and two smaller diamonds set in the band on either side.  "It's an antique?"

"Yes, it belonged to Sven's grandmother," Romelle grinned.  "He had to send all the way to Terra for it, he was afraid I wouldn't like it, here, look at this."  She pulled the ring off, "It has his grandparent's initials and their anniversary date inscribed in it.  I think it is so romantic."

Allura squinted at the tiny inscription and grinned, "That is.  Why did he think you wouldn't like it?"  
  


"Because it wasn't our initials and date.  I told him I loved it, so he got me this," Romelle pulled a chain from beneath her blouse and showed her the flat, heart shaped pendant.  "It has our initials on this side and when we get married he said he would get the other side engraved with the date."

Allura sighed and handed the ring back, "How did we find these guys?"

Romelle slipped her ring back on and studied it, "I think we all fully realize how fragile life is."

"And we know better than to take anything, or anyone, for granted."

"Exactly."

"So, let me see yours," Romelle held her hand out and examined Allura's ring.  "Oh, it's lovely!  I just love how the diamond is heart shaped!  Where did he get it?"

"He ordered the diamond from Planet Novia and had a jeweler set it on Terra."

"Wow, it is so beautiful.  They are famous on Novia for their diamond mines.  Who knew Keith had it in him to do all that?"

"He is very thorough," Allura said, slipping her ring back on.  "I know he researched and found where to get the best diamond and where to have it set."

Romelle leaned across the arm of her chair and whispered, "So, did the proposal lead to anything more?"

"What?  Well, we tried to keep it quiet, but Euclida Remikade, man, I hate her, she let it slip and…"

"You told me all that, Allura.  I meant, have you and Keith gotten any _closer_?"

Allura looked at her cousin, her eyebrows shot up and her face reddened when she caught Romelle's meaning, "Do you mean, you and Sven, you've…"

Romelle nodded, "After he proposed, things kind of got a little out of hand and, well…"

Allura lowered her voice, "How was it?"

"Oh, Allura," Romelle fell back in the chair.  "It was amazing.  I have never felt so loved, so wanted before in my life.  It was…I don't know how to explain it.  He was so gentle and I've never felt so close to anyone before in my life."

"But, I had heard that it hurts the first time."

Romelle blushed and looked down at the arm of the chair, "It wasn't my first time."

"Oh, Romelle," Allura took her hand.  "I am so sorry, I wasn't thinking."  
  


She shrugged, "It's alright.  I can tell you, though, that I now know the difference between sex and making love."

"There's a difference?"

"Trust me when I say there is.  What you and Keith do will be loving making, and yeah the first time will hurt, that's just part of nature.  But it's nothing too bad and it will only get better for the two of you."

"I'm a little scared," Allura admitted quietly.

"That's understandable, but I don't think Keith would ever do anything to intentionally hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable.  He isn't pressuring you, is he?"

"No, of course not, we came close a couple of times, but we were interrupted."

"Would you have?"

Allura nodded, feeling the heat rise to her face.

"Hello, ladies."

Allura and Romelle both jumped as the door slid open and Keith and Sven walked in.

"And vhat are you beautiful vomen talking about?"

"Girl stuff."

"Weddings."

"Which is it?"  Keith asked, amused.

"Uh, both, actually," Allura told him.

"Is dat code for us to leave you alone?" Sven sat on the arm of Romelle's chair.

The women looked at each other, unsure how to answer.

"You know," Keith fell back into the chair beside Allura's.  "It's as much my wedding as it is yours, maybe I want to talk wedding stuff too."

She reached over and patted his hand, "Why don't you two go find your friends and play."

"Actually," Romelle spoke up.  "I'm pretty hungry."

"Oh, of course, I am so sorry," Allura jumped to my feet.  "It is nearly time for lunch, how rude of me."

Keith took Allura's hand as they left the room and lowered his voice, "You looked like you were caught with your hand in the cookie jar, what were you talking about?"

"Nothing," she blushed.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"What are you hungry for?"

"Smooth change of subject."

She kissed his cheek, "It was just girl talk."

*********************************************************

"Have you given any thought to what flowers you're going to have?"  Allura asked Romelle as they walked through the garden later that afternoon.

"It's going to be very simple, just flowers from the castle grounds," Romelle told her.  "You will be my maid of honor, won't you?"

"Oh, of course, I was hoping you would ask!"

Romelle turned and hugged her cousin, "Thank you, so much.  I think Sven is supposed to be asking Keith to be his best man right now."  She nodded her head to where the two men were standing and talking a few yards away.

"Have you thought about your dress?"

"I'm working with one of the maids to alter my mother's wedding gown."  
  


"You still have your mother's dress?"

"Yes, my father packed up a lot of her belongings in trunks and hid them away in one of the spare rooms.  They surprisingly survived."

"You'll have to let me know what you want me to wear."

"Allura!"  Keith called to her when she and Romelle walked around the trees and were out of his sight.

"We're right here, Keith, we're fine!"  She called back, rolling her eyes at Romelle.

"I was thinking we could discuss that while we were here.  It's going to be a small ceremony.  You and Sven's sister will stand with me and Keith and Bandor will be standing with Sven.  Will you all be able to come?"

"Keith and I talked about it.  If we take the Lions and come back the same day, we can.  Otherwise we'll have to split up."

"Well, I had hoped you could come the day before and help me."

"Maybe we can do both.  Keith and I can come the night before and then the other guys can come the day of the wedding."

"I'd like that."

"I'll talk to Keith and see if we can't work that out.  If we take the Lions, it cuts the travel time in half and if there was a problem back on Arus, the guards should be able to hold them off until we got back."

Romelle grinned, "I can't believe this is actually happening.  I am so excited and scared and nervous.  I am marrying Sven.  I have to pinch myself sometimes to know that it is really happening."

Allura smiled as they continued their walk towards the woods, "It amazes me at how lucky we are."

"There was a time when I thought my life was over," Romelle whispered.  "Sven saved me in more ways than one."

"I have to thank him too for bringing you back to us," Allura added quietly.

"Princess."

Allura stopped suddenly and looked up to see Lotor blocking their path.  Romelle felt the air rush from her lungs as she stumbled backwards in a blind panic.

"What do you want?"  Allura's eyes narrowed as she reached for the weapon on her belt.

Lotor took a step closer, "You didn't answer my letter."

Romelle backed into a tree and whimpered.  It was the first time she had seen Lotor since she had been thrown into the Pit of Skulls.  Horrible memories came rushing back as sheer terror rushed over her.

The ruler of Doom shifted his gaze past the Princess and to his former slave.  A thin smile crossed his lips, "I know you."

Romelle's mouth moved wordlessly.  She hated that he still had this power over her, but she didn't know what else to do.  She silently pleaded with Sven to come.

"I thought you were dead," he continued.  "I came for the Princess, but now I've got two of you."

"No."  Romelle's whimper was barely audible.

"Lotor, this is between us," Allura stepped between him and her cousin.  "Get off my planet."

"Not without you."

She leveled her blaster at him.  
  
"You won't shoot me," he taunted.

"What makes you say that?"

With one swift movement, Lotor reached out and wrenched the weapon from her hand, grabbed her other arm and twisted her around so her back was pressed against him.  He tossed her blaster aside and cupped her chin in his hand, squeezing painfully, forcing her head back to rest on his shoulder.  With his lips pressed to her ear, he whispered, "I wanted you to know that I can still get on your planet.  I can still get to you."

Allura cursed herself as she felt her body tremble, "You don't scare me."

Romelle shook convulsively as she watched helplessly while Lotor held Allura.

"Know this," he hissed into her ear.  "If you go through with this sham of a marriage, I will make sure that as long as I am alive you will have reason to fear me.  I will make sure that your children will pay for this indiscretion of yours."

Ice cold dread flooded Allura's veins as his words permeated her mind.

"Allura!"  Keith sounded annoyed, she was once again out of his sight.

"Keith!"  Romelle's voice came out in a high pitched screech.

They all heard the sound of feet pounding the ground as Keith and Sven raced toward the sound of her voice.

  
"This isn't over."  Lotor released his grip on her and pushed her hard.  Allura landed on her hands and knees in front of him.  He took the opportunity to kick her in the side and watch her fall painfully to the ground before he turned and disappeared into the woods.

Allura pushed herself up just as Keith fell to his knees beside her.  "What happened?"

Sven held Romelle as she shook silently in his arms, "It's alright, it's alright.  Vhat happened?"

"Lotor," Allura spat as she sat back against a tree, her arm wrapped around her middle.

Keith looked around, "Where did he go?"

"That way," she pointed half heartedly in the direction he had gone.

Keith pulled out his communicator and called for squads of soldiers and guards to sweep the area.  He looked at Allura and gently stroked her cheek, red from Lotor's tight grip, "Are you okay?"

Allura nodded and using the tree she was leaning against, pushed herself up, "I'm fine."

He wrapped an arm around her waist to support her, "Come on, let's get you checked out and then I want you to tell me what happened."

"It was nothing, Keith.  He came and spooked us before disappearing.  It's more important that you try and find him, find out how he got here."

Keith looked up at Sven and saw his friend holding his fiancée to him as she quietly cried into his shoulder, "I'll get dem up to de castle if you vant to check tings out, Keit."

The Captain nodded, "Alright.  Take them straight to the hospital wing and have them checked out."

"I'm fine," Allura insisted as Arusian soldiers began to flood the woods.

  
"Humor me," Keith said, using his I'm-the-Commander-don't-argue-with-me voice.  "I'll let you know what I find."

Holding her head high, Allura limped back to the castle with Sven and Romelle.  Her side throbbed with pain, but she hardly noticed it as Lotor's words replayed in her mind.


	40. Dealing

Hi all!  
  


Thank you so much for the wonderful reviews!  Over 200!  Wow!  They really do mean a lot to me, to know that you are enjoying my story and taking the time to review it.

RedLion2 ~ Once again, thank you so much for your review!  I love showing Keith's tender side where Allura is concerned.  

Anony ~ I think Allura has seen the error of her ways.  No matter how determined she may be to show her independence, she isn't invincible.

T.F. Kit ~ Wow, thank you so much for your review.  I am always writing, it seems to be as important to me as breathing.  Maybe I will someday develop the nerve to post something original.  I have to say that I am very impressed with your story.  You have me sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens and if there will be a resolution.  Please update soon!

Queen Merla ~ I felt bad for Euclida too, for such a strong woman, she isn't dealing well with her heartbreak.  But then who hasn't made a complete idiot out of themselves over someone. 

Thank you so much!  You guys are awesome!

Enjoy,

Failte

****************************************************************

"Anything?"  Keith asked as he rushed into Castle Control.

"Not yet, Cap," Hunk informed him.

"Have you heard anything from Dr. Gorma?"

Koran looked up at him, "Princess Romelle had to be sedated, it was too much for her.  Princess Allura has been checked out, but she refused anything other than a few aspirin."

"Where is she now?"  
  
"She went to change, she said she'll be right back."

Keith sighed, angry with himself and frustrated with the situation.  "We have found no sign of Lotor outside."

"No signs as to how he got on the planet," Pidge walked over with a printout.

"So he just appeared?"

"It looks that way, Cap."

"That is totally unacceptable," Keith snarled.  "We have to figure out how he's doing this."

"We will, Captain," Koran assured him.

The door slid open and the four men turned to see Allura walk swiftly into the room.  She had changed into a clean flightsuit, ready to fly if necessary.  Her hair was pulled back in a French braid and she looked determined.  If it wasn't for the small bruises on either side of her chin caused by Lotor, you would have never known anything was wrong.

Keith quickly crossed the room and met her halfway, grabbing her arms, "How are you?"

"I'm fine."  Her tone was clipped.

"Allura…"

"What have you found?"

"Not much yet, we're still working on it.  Why don't you go rest, check on Romelle.  We'll contact you if we find anything."

She shook her head, "I don't need to rest.  Sven is with Romelle, she's asleep, Dr. Gorma gave her something.  I want to be here if you find something.  If he wanted to attack he would have then, I think he just wanted to scare me…us."

He rubbed his hands up and down her arms, "What did he say to you?"

"Nothing."

"Allura, it might help us figure out what is going on if you told us."

She looked down, studying the design on the floor, "He, uh, he just threatened me, nothing new and he was just a little heavy handed.  I'm fine."  She looked up at him, "I want to know what's going on."

"Alright," he sighed.  "But we will talk later."

With a shrug, she pushed past him and went to debrief Koran.

*************************

Sven watched as Romelle slept.  When he had found her, huddled against a tree, shaking and crying, he felt his heart break.  This was too much.  It was too soon.  She wasn't ready to face Lotor and the memories he brought back.  

  
Everything had been going so well for them.  It had taken months for her to come out of her shell.  When they had made love for the first time, it had been the most amazing night of his life.  He was completely consumed by her.  Seeing her in pain, seeing her too terrified to even speak, had the anger welling up inside him.  If he so much as saw Lotor again, he would kill him with his bare hands.

"Hm."

"Romelle," Sven reached out and gently stroked her cheek. 

She whimpered again and let out a little cry.

"_Elske_."

She turned her face to his hand, her eyes still closed.

"Open your eyes, _Elske,_" he whispered, moving to sit on the edge of the bed.

"Sven?"

"_Ja_."

Her eyes fluttered open, "Why am I so tired?"

"Dr. Gorma sedated you, just rest."

"Every time I close my eyes, I see him," she whispered.  

"I'm so sorry, _Elske_, but you are safe now."  He leaned over and kissed her forehead.

"I thought I was over it, I thought I wasn't afraid of him any more."  Her voice shook.

"It's alright, Romelle, it's alright.  You're allowed to be afraid, he is von mean son of a bitch."

"How's Allura?"

"She's fine.  She's helping de others vith de search."

"He kicked her hard, I was sure she might have a cracked rib or something."

Sven shrugged, "She's stronger den she looks."

"I'm so tired."

"Give into it, _Elske_."

Romelle smiled softly.  She loved it when he called her that.  He would sometimes whisper to her in his native tongue, and although she had no idea what he was saying, she loved listening to him.  "Lay with me, Sven."

That was all he needed to hear as he gently climbed over Romelle to the other side of the bed.  He pulled her close and held her tight.  Romelle laid her head on his chest, clutching a handful of his sweater in her hand.  She wanted Lotor out of her mind, out of her life.  

Sven gently rubbed her back as she tried to get closer to him.  "Ve can go home if you vant."

"I don't want him to win anymore," she mumbled into his chest.  "Let's wait and see what Keith says."

"If you're sure," he said uncertainly.  "But all you have to do is say de word and ve vill head straight home for Pollux."

She nodded, closing her eyes, "I love you, Sven."

"I love you too," he kissed the top of her head.

***********************************************

"So he's gone?"

Four hours had passed since Lotor had attacked Allura and Keith was sitting in his study with the Princess, Lance and Koran

"It looks that way, Captain," Koran said.

Keith nodded, looking down at the printout in his hand, "No one else has seen him?"

"No reports have come in," Lance told him.

Allura shifted uncomfortably.  She was sitting beside Lance on the couch and her side was hurting badly.

"Are you okay?"  Lance whispered.

"Yeah," she whispered back.  "I'm fine."

"What's wrong?"  Keith asked.

Allura shook her head, "Nothing.  I contacted the Garrison, they're sending more ships from Planet Zettle.  They're going to scout the area."

"Good, and I am putting three more guards on duty at any one time."

"That'll be tight," Koran commented.

"That includes the guys in the Force and me."

"Sounds good," Allura pushed herself up.  "It has been a long day, I'm going to head off to bed."

Keith watched her.  She had been quiet all evening and it worried him.  "You haven't eaten yet," he pointed out.

"I'm not hungry, I'll see you all in the morning."

"She's been rather quiet," Koran said when the door shut behind her.

"She'll talk when she's ready to," Keith told him.

Lance stood and stretched, "Has she told you anything more?"

Keith shook his head, "No.  When she is ready, she'll talk."

Koran nodded and stood, "I am going to Castle Control and see if they've found anything new."

"What is it, man?"  Lance asked when they were alone.

"I don't know, Lance.  I think Lotor said something that has her really shook up and I think she's hurt more than she's letting on.  But I haven't had a chance to talk to her alone since this happened."

"You going to try and talk to her now?"

"Yeah, I'm going to go grab some food and see if I can get her to eat something."

"Alright, buzz me if you need me for anything."

"I will, Lance, thanks."  Keith made his way to the kitchen.  He was able to find some food to put together sandwiches.  It was still relatively early, he hoped he could talk her into have a little picnic in her room, maybe get her to tell him what Lotor had said.  He placed the food and a couple of bottles of water on a tray and started toward her room.

"Hey Keit"

"Hey Sven, how's Romelle?"

The tall Norwegian sighed, "She's shaken up and she doesn't vant to be alone.  Allura is in vith her now."

"Where are you headed?"

"I am going to get someting for us to eat."

"Here," Keith held the tray out for him.  "Take this."

"No, Keit, I'm not taking your dinner."

"No, take it, I want to talk to Allura."

Sven shrugged and took the tray, "Tanks, Keit."

The women were both sitting on the bed, talking quietly when Keith and Sven walked in.

"How are you feeling, Romelle?"  Keith asked, sitting beside Allura.

"I'm fine, Keith, really," she smiled weakly.  "I wish you would all stop worrying."

Allura squeezed her hand, "We'd go crazy if we didn't have something to worry about."

"Then worry about how you're all going to get to our wedding."

Sven set the tray on the table beside the bed, "And you had better find a vay to get dere."

"We will," Keith vowed.

Sven sat on the bed beside Romelle and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "You should eat something, _Elske_."

"What does that mean?"  Allura asked.

Romelle smiled, "Love."

"Come on my _Elske,_" Keith stood and took her hands. 

"Find your own vay to impress your voman," Sven said.  "Dat's my word."

Allura smiled and patted Romelle's hand, "If you need anything at all, please ask."

"I will.  Good night."

Allura and Keith bid them both a good night before slipping from the room.

"Let's go get something to eat," Keith suggested lightly.

Allura covered her mouth as she yawned, "I meant it when I said I'm not hungry."

"You need to keep your strength up, babe."

"I just need a good night's sleep."

Keith glanced at her, "Fine, I won't push you."

"Thank you."

"But I still think you're hiding something from me."

Allura stopped and looked at him, seriously studying him.  "Alright," she sighed.  "Romelle and I were talking about sex, not the weddings, when you walked in on us this afternoon."

Keith's mouth fell open and he stared at her a moment, "Of all the things I expected to hear you say, that was probably the last.  But it was pretty hot."

Allura giggled and kissed his cheek, "Good night, Keith."

He watched her walk to her door, "Hey."

She looked over her shoulder, "Hey what?"

"You know you can tell me anything, right."

"I know."

"Just call me on my communicator if you want to talk."

"I will."

"Love you."

"Love you, too, Keith."

"Good night."

"'Night."

************************************************

Keith's eyes flew open.  His door had just opened and closed.  He held his breath and listened, there was definite movement.  Silently counting to three, he swung out in one smooth movement, grabbing his blaster from the nightstand and turning on the light, swinging the weapon toward the doorway.

"Dammit Allura!"  He yelled angrily.

She stood in front of his door, her hands clutching the hem of the shirt she was wearing.

His heart racing, Keith slid the safety back into place and returned his blaster to the bedside table before falling back on the bed.  "Dammit, Allura, I could have shot you!  You know better than to sneak up on me."

When she didn't answer, he raised his head to look at her.  She still stood motionless by his door, wearing a pair of pink floral pajama pants and his old Tampa Bay Buccaneers shirt.  He couldn't remember when she took it, but she had had it for a while and he loved the way she looked in it.  The pants and shirt clashed terribly, but she looked sweet.  She continued to toy with the hem of the shirt and not speaking.

"What is it?"  He asked.

Allura raised her eyes and looked at the bed, "Can I?"

"Yeah," Keith moved aside and held the blankets up.

She clambered into his big bed and laid on her uninjured side, her back to Keith.  Without a word, she pulled the blankets up to her chin and scooted back until she felt him.

Keith lay on his side and spooned with her, wrapping his arm around her stomach, "What is it?"

"Nothing," she mumbled into his comforter.  "Just couldn't sleep."

He glanced at the clock and saw that it was after one in the morning.  "I thought you were tired."

"So did I."

"Was it a nightmare?"  When she didn't answer, he tightened his arm around her.

Allura winced, "Careful."

Keith pushed the blanket down and lifted her shirt.  He swore when he saw the large purple, blue, and black bruise.  

"It's not as bad as it looks."

"Bullshit," he pulled the shirt back down and pressed down on her shoulder, forcing her onto her back so he could see her face.  "Tell me what happened."

"There's nothing more to tell.  He cornered us, threatened me," she cleared her throat when her voice cracked.  "Then he knocked me down and kicked me.  I've had worse."

Keith studied her a moment, "Why are you here?"

Her jaw twitched as she clenched her teeth, "Fine, I'll go."

"No," he gripped her arm.  "I think you're here because you were spooked.  He said something that scared you and now you're having trouble sleeping."

"What scares me is that we don't know how he got here.  He has proven that he can still get to us."

"You're safe, Allura, I promise nothing will happen to you."

"You don't know that for sure, Keith."

He felt an irrational anger at her comment, "You don't think I can keep you safe?"

"It's not you, Keith.  He's evil and very powerful…"

"You don't think I can keep you safe," he repeated.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "It isn't that."

  
"Then what is it?"

A tear slid out from under her closed eyelid.

Keith cupped her cheek and wiped the tear away with the pad of his thumb, "Talk to me, Allura."

"He…he said that if we went through with this marriage that our children would pay for it," she whispered.

"That won't happened," Keith vowed, resting his forehead against hers.  "He would have to go through me, Lance, Hunk, Pidge, Koran, and every guard in the castle.  Not to mention you.  I've seen you when you're angry, you're capable of ripping a man's arms off.  We will defeat him.  We will be fine, all of us."

She opened her eyes.  He was so close she couldn't focus on his face.  "Why can't he just leave us alone?"

"Because he's psychotic."

"I am so sick of this, I'm sick of living in fear.  I'm sick of having to worry every time I leave the castle."

Keith lifted his head and smoothed her hair back, "You were the one who said we can't let Lotor dictate our lives.  We didn't come this far and go through everything we've gone through to give up now.  We will defeat him.  We will get married."

Allura cupped his cheek with her hand, "I know that, honey.  I just get so frustrated sometimes."

He smiled, "So do I, but we can't give up.  We are all in this together and we will win."

Sliding her hand back into his hair, Allura brought his mouth down to his.  "Thank you, Keith."

"For what?"

"For being here for me now."

"I will always be here for you, Allura.  Just don't sneak up on me."

"Sorry.  I couldn't sleep, so I went for a walk and I ended up here."

Keith propped his head up with his hand, looking down at her, gently laying his hand on her stomach, tickling her lightly with his fingers.  "You shouldn't be up wondering the castle alone."

She slipped her hand into his and brought their hands up higher, away from her bruise, "I know.  But I think, deep down, I knew I was coming here."

"You can't be caught in my bed before the wedding," he murmured, noticing that their joined hands were nestled between her breasts.

"I was serious when I told you what Romelle and I had been discussing," she whispered, huskily.

"Don't do this to me."

"I was thinking.  What if something even worse had happened to me today…"

"Don't Allura."

"Now let me finish," she brought his hand to her mouth and kissed his fingers.  "What if something had happened to me and we had never had the chance to be together."  
  


"We have plenty of time for that," he promised, feeling his resolve shake.

"We don't know that.  I want to be with you, you want to be with me.  Why do we have to keep putting it off?"

"I don't have any…protection," he stammered.

"Protection?"

Keith raised his eyebrows in surprise, "Um, you know, birth control."

She furrowed her brows in confusion.

"Condoms?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You mean no one has ever discussed birth control with you?"

She blushed and said defensively, "I know where babies come from."

"But do you know how to _prevent_ babies?"

"Why would you want to do that?"

Keith closed his eyes, he had forgotten how naïve she was about so many things.  She had grown up in a different place with different social mores.  If it was Nanny who had given her the 'birds and the bees' talk, he was sure she had glossed over a few things.

"Keith?"

"I guess this was something Romelle didn't talk to you about."

"I thought you wanted children."

"After we're married, Allura, not now.  Can you imagine the scandal if you became pregnant before the wedding."

She pouted, obviously disappointed by his response.  "Maybe we could…" she trailed off and released his hand to run her hand down his stomach, stopping at his waistband.  "Maybe we could just get to know each other a little better, just not go all the way."

"You're going to be the death of me," he murmured as she pressed her lips to his throat.

"I can think of worse ways to go," she answered, feeling his hands slide up under her shirt.

Heat coursed through Allura's body as he stroked her with his warm, rough hands.  Trailing kisses from his throat to his chest, stroking his abdomen, her heart picked up speed as he moaned.  She stopped and sucked in a breath when he accidentally bumped her bruise.

"Allura, I love you, I really, really love you," Keith said, fisting a hand in her hair and gently forcing her to raise her head.  "But we have to stop this now, please.  This is not the right time.  You're hurt and we're both tired.  Let's save this, please."

With a sigh, Allura rolled off of him and onto her side.

  
He twirled a lock of her hair, "Are you mad?"

"I…I just want to know what its like," she admitted quietly.  "Romelle said it was the most amazing night she had ever had.  I want to be that close to you."

Keith curled up with her, pressing his body along the length of hers, "When we do make love, Angel, it will be amazing, but we can't rush things."

"Can I stay?"

"Of course." He brushed her hair aside and kissed the back of her neck.  "As long as you get some sleep."

"I will," she muttered.

Keith reached back and reset the alarm so it would go off fifteen minutes earlier than normal so she would have enough time to get back to her room before anyone noticed she was gone.  "Good night, love."

"Good night, Keith."  

Keith's arm was draped over Allura's waist, below the sore bruise, and just feeling him close by helped her settle into a light sleep.  Keith, meanwhile, was busy occupying his mind with thoughts of flight formations and military tactics.  Anything to get his mind off the fact that the woman he loved, the most beautiful, desirable woman he had ever known, was lying with him so he could sleep.

Four and a half hours later, they both bolted awake at the sound of the castle alarms.  Instinctively, the both leapt from the bed and raced to Castle Control.

"What is it?"  Keith asked as they were joined by the rest of the Force, Nanny and Koran.  
  
"Oh Princess!"  Nanny ran over to her and hugged her tightly.  "I went to your room and you weren't there!  Where were you?"

Allura looked helplessly over at Keith.

"Ach!"  The older woman sighed angrily.  "I should have known."

Koran spoke up, "I was called here by Private Clabe when a report came in about a missing person.  She was last seen with an attractive man with long white hair.  I immediately called to Nanny to check on the Princess, when we found her missing as well, we sounded the alarms."

"Who's missing?"  Allura asked.

"Miss Euclida Remikade."


	41. A Little Too Easy

Hi all!  
Sorry for the delay, my computer crapped out on me…again.

I have a very good idea as to where this story is headed, like all my others, it took on a life of its own.  I hate to think of this story as coming to an end, I already know how it will end, I am just working on getting to it.  I can't give you a set number of chapters left, because I don't know.  I do know that I am loving writing this story, I love the characters, and I love the support and reviews I am getting from all of you.  Thank you so much!

Enjoy,

Failte

*******************************************

Keith ran his hand through his hair.  "What do we know, Koran?"

"Just that Miss Remikade was supposed to be spending the night with Miss Rowena Zipner, but she never showed up.  Miss Zipner went to Mr. Remikade to ask after his daughter and they discovered she was missing.  After asking around, Mr. Remikade found that his daughter had last been seen several hours earlier with a man fighting the description of Lotor."  Koran explained.  "Mr. Remikade and Miss Zipner are on their way to the Castle now, they should be here momentarily."

"Alright," Keith turned to face his team, all still dressed in their various pajamas.  "I want everyone to go change into something more presentable and we will meet with Mr. Remikade and Rowena in the conference room in ten minutes."

"Yes, sir."

Nanny gripped Allura's arm tightly and pulled her from the room.

"So," Lance said quietly as they hurried from the room.  "The Princess was sleeping in your room?"

  
"None of your business, Lieutenant," Keith snapped.

"Well, at least we know she's safe at night now."  
  


The Captain opened and closed his mouth.  He was about to reprimand Lance when he realized he was right.  "It isn't what you are all thinking."

"You don't have to explain to me, Cap."

"Just go get dressed."

Ten minutes later found the Force sitting around the large table in the Conference room, waiting.  Lance tapped out a beat on the tabletop with his fingers, Pidge rolled his head back, trying to stay awake, Hunk was taking apart and putting together his pen for the third time.  Allura sat at the head of the table, her hands clutched together while she stared at the wall opposite her.  Keith reached over, slowly, and laid his hand on top of hers.  Without a word, she unclasped her hands to enfold his.  They sat, unspeaking, waiting.

The door slid open and they all jumped to their feet as Koran entered, followed by Calren Remikade and Rowena Zipner.

"Calren, Rowena," Allura bowed slightly.  "Please, come in and sit.  We need to hear everything you know about this situation so we can properly plan a rescue mission."

"Well, my daughter had plans to stay the night with Rowena," Calren began, nervously.  "But when Euclida didn't arrive, Ro came to our home looking for her.  We spent the better part of the night looking for her, putting together a search party.  Early in the morning, we found a young woman who said she saw Euclida with a man resembling, uh, L-Lotor."

"Do you have any reason to believe she would go off willingly with Lotor?"  Keith asked.

Calren furrowed his brow and shook his head.

Rowena cleared her throat.

"Do you know something?"  Allura asked.

"Uh, well, I don't know if it means anything," she said quietly.

"You have no idea how useful the smallest detail can be," Keith told her.  "Tell us anything you know, please."

"Um, well, Euclida told me she had been having dreams, well, not really dreams, I don't know how to explain it.  It was like dreams when she was awake, like visions.  A really good-looking guy, with long white hair, she thought it might have been Lotor, but she said he was really sweet, not at all like she had heard about him."

"What were…these visions about?"  Allura asked.

Rowena blushed, embarrassed for her friend, "He, uh, he told her that she belonged with the Captain and that Your Highness belonged with him.  Euclida didn't believe it, she had come to terms with your relationship, but he kept coming to her, during the day and at night.  She was coming to stay with me tonight because she hoped he wouldn't visit her if there was someone else around."

"Why didn't I know about this?"  Calren asked.

  
"She was afraid to tell you."

  
Keith cleared his throat, "Lotor has a very powerful witch on his side.  It is totally feasible that he used Haggar to manipulate Euclida's mind."

"What are you going to do about getting her back?"  Her father asked.

"Koran has been attempting to contact Doom for a while now," Allura told him.  "Since they have been ignoring our attempts, we can only assume that Lotor does have her and that he is baiting us."

"What do we do?" Calren's voice rose slightly.

Keith pushed back his seat and stood, "We go to Doom."

****************

Clouds were just beginning to move in as the Lions shot into the sky.  

"What's the plan, Cap?"  Hunk asked.

"We go to Doom and we get Euclida back, unharmed."

"What about Lotor?"

"Harm him all you want."

Pidge chuckled.

Keith opened a private line to Blue Lion.  "Allura?"

"Yes, sir?"

He smiled, "Are you okay with this?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean."  
  


"Above all else, she is an Arusian and her safety is our biggest concern."

"I love _you_, Allura."

She smiled, noticing the emphasis he had put on 'you'.  "Let's keep it professional, Captain."

"Yes, your highness."

Keith reopened to group channel, "Everything clear so far?"

"Yes, sir," Pidge replied.

"A little too quiet," Lance muttered.

"Keep in mind, he's using Euclida as bait," Keith said.  "I'm pretty sure this is going to be between him and me."

"No, it's him against us," Hunk corrected.

"Going by Lotor's m.o. and his need for theatrics, I would assume that he is sitting in wait for us.  He knows we are going to come, so we have to approach this carefully, don't do anything that could put Lida in danger."

Allura scowled at his use of the old nickname he had for Euclida.  

"I want Allura and Hunk to stay with the Lions," Keith continued.  "Lance, Pidge, you're with me."

"Why can't I…" Allura began.

"Allura," Keith interrupted warningly.  "You were injured yesterday.  We don't want to leave the Lions unattended.  If we need you, we'll call for you."  He opened a private line with the Princess again.  "Allura, I would really appreciate it if you would not question my decisions, particularly in front of the other guys.  I am the commander of this Force."

"I know that," she said tersely.  "It's just that you have a habit of not thinking I can handle things."  
  


"I am fully aware of what you can handle.  Just don't question my orders and I won't question yours."

"Fine."  Allura closed the connection feeling annoyed and a little insulted.

Lance noticed that when both the Captain and the Princess returned to the main screens they seemed rather tense, but he knew better than to say anything.

Other than Keith calling out orders or Pidge reporting what he was seeing while monitoring the radar, it was a quiet trip.  They landed in the same clearing they had landed in when Lance, Hunk, and Pidge had rescued Allura and Dana.  The Lions sat side-by-side, ready to attack if needed.

Allura watched as Keith, Lance, and Pidge slipped into the woods.  It wasn't that she doubted his decisions.  Keith knew what he was doing and she trusted him.  But she didn't trust Euclida.  He loved her, she knew that, but there was that silly voice of doubt in the back of her mind.  That voice had gotten louder as they neared Doom and her mind was battling an internal war with itself.  Her common sense told her she was being silly while the doubt was telling her that Euclida had done this on purpose to get Keith's attention.  He is such a good man.  What if he buys into it?  What if he gets her out and they start to spend time together, as friends, but then they become more than friends.  What if this cost her Keith?  It would be Lotor's ultimate goal realized.

"Princess?"

She jumped at the sound of Hunk's voice.  They had exited their Lions and were keeping watch.  "Yes Hunk?"

"You alright?"

"I'm fine.  Just a little antsy.  If I can't be in on the action, I want it over so I know everyone is alright."

He nodded, "I know exactly how you feel."

*************************

Keith led the way as his two men followed him to the Doom Castle.  It was quiet.  Too quiet.  They had yet to come across any guards.  Lance found the hidden passageway Fforden had shown them when they had rescued Keith.  They kept to the wall, blasters drawn, crept past the cells and toward the stairway.

"Captain!  It's about time."

Stopping at the top of the stairs, the three men saw Lotor.  The ruler of Doom stood, hands on his hips, feet spread.  

"Lotor," Keith sighed.  "What do you say we get this done so we can go home."

"Anxious to get back to the Princess?"  Lotor sneered.

The Captain shrugged, his weapon still trained on his nemesis, "Yeah."

Lotor's face darkened, "Where is the Princess?"

"Where's Euclida?"

  
"Euclida," Lotor rolled her name of his tongue.  "Such an unusual name for such a beautiful woman.  Don't you agree, Captain?"

  
Keith didn't answer.

Lotor continued, "She has a gorgeous body.  Tight in the right spots and soft where it matters.  In your short liaison, were you able to get your hands on her firm breasts?  Her long, smooth legs?"

Keith pursed his lips, sickened at the thought of Lotor touching her.

"Enough of this," Lance spoke up.  "Where is she?"

Without another word, Lotor whirled on his heel and swept down the hall, his cloak billowing behind him.  Keith exchanged a look with his men, but then followed him down the hall.

"What is he playing at?"  Lance whispered.

"I wish I knew," Keith whispered back.

Lotor turned right.

  
The three members of the Force followed him.  Two large doors slammed shut behind them and Doom guards lined the walls and blocked the door.  They were trapped.

Euclida sat on a throne in the middle of the room.  Her wrists tied to the arms and her head dropped forward, her chin on her chest.

"What did you do?"  Keith asked.

"You are not in the position to ask questions," Lotor told him as guards disarmed the three men.

Lance, Pidge and Keith scanned the room, mentally trying to find a way out, a distraction.  Three minds whirred with ideas and plans.  

"This is what you deserve, Captain," Lotor put a finger under Euclida's chin and tipped her head back.  "Not the Princess."

"What?  You think you deserve Allura?"  Lance smirked.

Lotor glared at the second-in-command, "I am worthy of her, but the question is, is she worthy of me?  We will find out once I bed her."

Pidge reached out and laid a hand on Keith's arm to keep him from doing anything stupid.  He watched as his Commander's jaw twitched in anger.

"What is the point of all this?"  Lance asked.

"Alright," Keith spoke through clenched teeth.  "You have us here, unarmed.  What do you want with us?"

Lotor grabbed a handful of Euclida's red curls and yanked her head back.  With his other hand, he slapped her, hard.

Two guards stepped forward, putting themselves between the Force and the woman.

With a quiet whimper, Euclida's green eyes fluttered open.

"Since you didn't bring me what I want, we will just have to wait until she does come."  Lotor called over a couple of guards and gave them instructions.  The restraints were cut from Euclida's wrists and she was shoved to the floor.  A guard hauled her to her feet and pushed her at Keith, who caught her and held her trembling form to him.

Half a dozen guards flanked the four of them and prodded them in the back.   Keith kept an arm around Euclida as she leaned against him, sobbing, while they were marched, along with Lance and Pidge to the dungeons.  Lance and Pidge were pushed into one small cell while Keith and Euclida were shoved into another.

*********

"This better work," Lotor hissed to Haggar.

"It will," she assured him.  "As we speak, the Princess is already rethinking her relationship with the Captain."

"She better be more than just rethinking it."

"It won't happen right away, but things will change."

Lotor nodded his head and turned to leave the room, awaiting the arrival of the Princess.

*********

Keith looked down at the woman who clung to him.  She clutched his flightsuit in her hands while tears soaked his shoulder.  Euclida had yet to say a word to him, she just cried uncontrollably.  It made him wonder what had happened to her and deep, hot anger filled him.

"Lida," he said softly.  "Calm down, it'll be alright, we'll get out of here.  Come here, sit down while I see if I can find a way out."  
  


She refused to give up her hold on him, crying even harder.

"Psst!  Keith!"

With Euclida still attached to him, he made his way to the door and looked out the small barred window to see Lance in the window across the hall.

"You find something?"  Keith asked.

"No.  But he knows Allura will come for us."  
  


"Yeah, it's a trap and there is no way to get word to her and Hunk.  But she can handle herself."  
  


Lance nodded, "How is, uh, how's she doing?"

"She'll be fine.  We have to find a way out of here.  It's ten more minutes before Allura and Hunk come after us."

*********

"I don't want to wait any longer," Allura told Hunk.

The big man shook his head, "We have our orders, Princess."

"Something happened, I know it did, Hunk."  Cold fear washed over Allura, she felt Keith slipping away from her.

He looked at his watch.  Seven more minutes until they were to go in search of Keith and the others.  "Five minutes and then we'll head toward the Castle."

*********

Keith was finally able to remove himself from Euclida's grasp, moving her to sit in a corner.  She pulled her knees up and hid her face as she cried even harder.

"Anything, Lance?"  Keith called across the hall.

"We're working on it," Lance replied.

Keith ran his hands over the walls.  His right hand rushed over a stone that felt different.  Moving his fingers over it, he felt it shift.  Pushing harder, the stone disappeared into the wall and a door slid open.  This is too easy, he thought to himself.  Sticking his head through the doorway, he looked left and then right.

  
"Euclida," he whispered to the girl, still crouching in the corner.

She lifted her head and saw him holding his hand out to her.

The doorway led to a short hallway, a door at the end.  Pushing gently on that door, it opened into the main hall, a few doors down from where Lance and Pidge were being held.  Moments later, the three Force members crept down the hall and found their way outside.  

"That was too easy," Lance whispered.  "Way too easy."

"I know," Keith held Euclida's hand in his own as they ran forward.  She stumbled and fell against him.  With a sigh, Keith swept her up and continued running, her arms around his neck and her face hidden in his shoulder. 

"He has something planned," Pidge added.

"Let's just get home," Keith huffed.  "We'll figure it all out then."  
  


Hunk and Allura had just started toward the Castle, meeting them at the tree line.  
  
"Are you alright?"  Hunk asked, racing over to his teammates.

Lance nodded, "Yeah, let's get out of here.  They took our weapons and communicators."

"We'll talk once we're off this planet," Keith said.

  
Allura nodded, heat rising to her face as she saw the way Euclida clung to Keith.  The sharp punch of jealousy hit her square in the stomach.  

They raced to the Lions and got into the air.  Keith strapped Euclida into the fold down seat beside him, where she sat quietly.  He squeezed her hand reassuringly and opened lines of communication to the others.

  
"Alright," he started.  "Let's get as far away from here as possible.  This was just weird.  Lotor lured us here and then made it impossibly easy for us to get out.  He has something planned."

"But what could it be?"  Lance asked.

"Did he do anything, like plant something, on one of you guys?"  Hunk asked.

Pidge shook his head, "No."

Keith looked at Euclida, "Hey, Lida, are you okay?"

She lifted her head and nodded.

"Did he hurt you?"

She hesitated a moment and shook her head.

"You sure?"

Allura listened and watched as Keith spoke tenderly to Euclida, holding her hand.  That was how he had spoken to her, the way he had touched her.  What was going on?  If he treated another woman like that, what did it mean for her?  Was he acting out of obligation, guilt, rather than love?  She knew she was being irrational, but she was angry.  Reaching over, she closed the line of communication with the others, dropping the cabin of Blue into silence.

It was another ten minutes before the light beeped, indicating an incoming message.  Allura opened the line again and looked at Keith.  

"You alright, Allura?"

She nodded.  Why had it taken him so long to notice her absence?  To contact her?  Why?  Because he was busy with Euclida.

Keith sighed.  He knew Allura was upset, but now was not the time to discuss it.  They were almost to Arus and he had to make sure Euclida got home safely and examined by the doctor.  Whatever was upsetting her would have to wait for later.

Ideas were tossed back and forth while they tried to figure out why Lotor had acted in this way.  Euclida was of no help, still too shaken up to tell her story.  Keith was hoping that once she was home and with her father, she would be able to tell them all what had happened.

As they neared Arus, Keith called ahead and had Dr. Gorma standing by.  He met them at the door with a stretcher and Mr. Remikade.

The Force and Koran met in the conference room to discuss what had happened.  None of it made sense.  All in all, it had only taken them four hours to fly to Doom, get Euclida, and get back.  Keith was really worried about what would happen next.  He ordered a complete exam of Euclida to make sure nothing had been planted on her.  None of the Force members had been injured. For the most part, everyone was in good spirits.  Except for Allura.

"Alright, I will speak with Euclida and her father and Dr. Gorma.  We can only hope we'll get a clue from her."  Keith told them.  "I want everyone to stay close, this could mean a big battle coming.  Stay on alert."

The others stood to leave, but Keith stopped the Princess, "Allura, I want to talk to you."

Lance winked at her as they filed out of the room past her.

"What is it?"  She asked, tensely.  "I have things to do."

Keith walked around to lean on the large table in front of her, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"No you're not.  What is it?"

"Nothing."

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "If you're upset, I wish you would tell me why.  We've got a lot going on and I don't need any tension between us.  Besides the obvious, we do have to work together."

She stuck her chin out defiantly, "I am so sorry to be such a burden to you."

"You aren't, what is with you?"

"Nothing.  How many times do I have to tell you that?"

His voice rose in frustration, "It really frustrates me when you behave like this Allura.  Does this have something to do with Euclida?"  When she didn't answer, he continued.  "Nothing is going on between us, you know that.  It was a rescue mission and she is shaken up."

"It didn't look like that to me," Allura muttered.

Keith swore under his breath, "Are you going to get angry every time I talk to another woman?  We're at war you know.  Am I not allowed to help any woman besides you?"  
  


"I am fully aware of the fact that we are at war, Captain," Allura spoke in a low, angry voice.  "I don't need to be reminded of that.  Just as I don't need to be reminded that you and _Lida_ have a history together."

He threw his hands in the air, "Oh, grow up, Allura!"

She stared at him a moment, angry and a little pain showing on her face.

  
"Fine," Allura reached out and took his hand, he felt her press something hard into it.  "Maybe I do need to grow up.  Maybe we both do.  Maybe we need some time apart to do that."  She turned on her heel and stormed from the room.

Keith looked down and saw that he was holding her engagement ring.

*****************************************

On Doom, a small smile crossed the face of an old witch.  "And so it begins," she whispered under the hood of her cloak.  "Lotor will be happy."


	42. Mind Games

Keith looked down at the ring resting on his palm.  The gold circle was so small, reminding him if her delicate fingers.  Fingers that were often wrapped around the steering stick of one of the most powerful machines in the universe or could drive him crazy when she ran them over his back or through his hair or warm his heart when she entwined then with his larger fingers. 

There was no way she had just broken up with him.  He shook his head, trying to clear the fog.  That did not just happen.

The silence was broken by the beeping of the replacement communicator Koran had given him.  Whenever a communicator was taken, it had to be deactivated and then a new one was assigned.

Letting out a breath, Keith slipped the ring into his pocket and pulled out his communicator.  "Whitaker."

"Miss Remikade said she's ready to talk, Captain," Koran told him.

Keith closed his eyes, the last thing he wanted to do was talk to Euclida.  He wanted to sit down some place quiet and try to figure out what had just happened.  Either that or go have a stiff drink.  

"I'll be right there."

Lance, Hunk, Pidge, Sven, Romelle, and Koran were all gathered in Castle Control when Keith walked in.  

"Where's Allura?"  Romelle asked.

Keith shrugged, "I, uh, I don't know.  I'm, uh, I'm going to go…talk to Euclida."

Sven walked over to him and lowered his voice, "Are you okay, Keit?"

He looked up at his friend, a lost look in his eyes, "What?  Oh…yeah."

"Keit."

"Um," he rubbed the back of his neck.  "I, uh, I think Allura just broke up with me."

"What?"  Lance asked, shocked.

Romelle let out a small gasp and rushed from the room.

"Vhat happened?"  Sven asked.

Keith shook his head, "I have to go talk to Euclida."

"I can do that, Captain," Koran offered kindly.

"No, I have to."

Hunk stepped forward, "Keith…"

"I can do my job," he snapped at his friends.  "I'll let you know what I find out.  Lance, come witness this with me."

"Yes, sir."  With a shrug to his friends, Lance followed their Commander.

**************************************

Romelle gathered her skirt in her hands and hurried down the hall to Allura's room.  She knocked on the door and waited.  She knocked again and called out, "Allura, it's me."

A sniffle was the response from the other side of the door, "Please, Romelle, leave me alone."

"No."

"I don't need…"

"Yes you do.  Now open the door before I go get one of the guys to open it for me."

The door slid open and Romelle stepped in.  Allura was turned from the door, clutching a box of tissues in her hands and sniffling.

"What happened?"  Romelle crossed to her cousin and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.  "Tell me what happened."

"Keith and I are through," Allura whispered, tears running down her face.

  
"Why?  What happened?"

Allura shuffled over to close and lock the door.  "He's slipping away from me."

"What do you mean?"

"I…I don't know how to explain it," Allura stopped and pressed a hand to her mouth, swallowing a sob.  "I just know it.  I felt it when we went to Doom and when I saw him with Euclida, I knew it."  
  


"No, he isn't.  You guys are perfect together, you love each other.  He is not slipping away."

Allura sank onto the edge of her bed and wiped her nose with a tissue, "Then why isn't he here?"

"Because he has to go talk to…" Romelle trailed off.  "Oh, Allura, he has work to do, you have to understand that.  This isn't about you two, this is about L-Lotor."  She still had problems saying his name out loud.

Allura shook her head.

"Just yesterday you were telling me how much you love him."  Romelle sat on the bed beside her.  "If you're letting this happen, you're pushing him away and then you're letting Lotor win."

"But I'm not pushing him away!"  Allura stood and began pacing.  "You just don't get it, Romelle!  Let him go and be with Euclida, they're perfect together!"

Romelle watched her cousin pace, confused by her behavior.  "Allura…"

"Just leave me alone."

"Allura…"

"Please, Romelle, just go," Allura whispered, her back to her cousin as she stared out the window in front of her.

"I don't think you should be alone right now."

"No, that is what I need."  
  


"Alright," Romelle stood.  "If you need me or if you want to talk, just let me know."

  
Allura nodded.

Romelle opened her mouth to speak again, but thought better of it.  She slipped silently from the room.

************************************************

"I saw him in my dreams at night," Euclida whispered.  She was sitting up in her bed, her father standing beside her while she told Keith and Lance everything she knew.  "And then it started during the day.  It was like my mind would start to wander and I would see him in front of me clear as day.  Then when he came to me for real, I don't know, it was…I was confused."

  
Keith nodded slowly, "Did he drug you?"

"When…when I realized where I was and what he was doing, I tried to get away.  That's when the…the w-witch did something to me and I got very tired."

"But Dr. Gorma said you were fine?"

Euclida nodded.

"When can I take her home?"  Calren asked.

  
Keith looked up at him, "I would like to have her stay a while, keep her under doctor's care for now."  He turned back to her, "Did Lotor say anything to you?  Anything that might tell us why he took you, why he did this?"

Euclida looked down as she toyed with the edge of her blanket, "I, uh, I can't remember hearing him say anything about it.  He just kept promising me everything I ever wanted.  He promised to make me happy."

"What did he promise you?"

Her cheeks darkened to a deep red and she refused to lift her head to meet his gaze.

With a sigh Keith nodded, "Alright, we won't question you any further.  Thank you for your help, Euclida."

Calren noticed how distant and cold the Captain seemed, "What is it?  Do you know how he did this?  Or why?"  
  


"He did something similar to the Princess, but with her it was the witch.  Haggar had actually entered the Princess' mind."

"Is that what you think happened to Euclida?"

Keith shook his head, "No, I think this was different.  This sounds more like a manipulation than an intrusion.  But that's why I'd like to have you both stay a little while longer."

"And if it is an intrusion?"

"Then we will get her the help she needs."

Calren nodded, laying a hand on his daughter's shoulder.

"Just, uh, just let us know if you need anything.  That button will alert the nurses and Dr. Gorma, they can get a hold of us at any time."  Keith told her.

"Thank you, Keith, for everything," she whispered.

He nodded and left the room.  

"Hey," Lance jogged to keep up with his Commander as they left the hospital.  "How're you doing, man?"

Keith slid his hand into his pocket and pulled out the ring.  He held it up for Lance to see, "How do you think I'm doing?"

"Shit," Lance murmured.  "What happened?"

"She's jealous of Euclida."

  
"What?"

"She actually thinks there is something going on with Euclida and me."

  
"Is there?"

Keith stopped abruptly and glared at Lance, "How can you ask that?"

Taking a small step back, Lance told him, "Well, you two were rather cozy."

  
"She was scared, what was I supposed to do?"

Lance held his hands up in defense, "I'm just saying that it probably didn't look that innocent to Allura."

Keith let out a breath and ran his hand through his hair, "I don't know, Lance."

"You don't know about what?"

"I'm beginning to wonder about Allura and me."

"What are you talking about?"

Keith lowered his voice, "What if our feelings are just the effect of being thrown together in a highly emotional situation?"

"What?"

"I've been thinking about this.  Koran told me once that he was afraid that Allura's feelings for me were just hero worship.  What if they are?  What if my feelings are just tied up in her being a damsel in distress?  I swoop in and save her and then we live happily ever after.  Is what we have for real?"

Lance stared at his friend, his mouth hanging open in shock.  "You can't mean that, Keith.  What you and Allura have is special, it is real.  If you look deep down inside you, you will see that."

The Captain lowered his head and stared at the ring in his hand.

Lance shook his head, "If you end this relationship then you are an idiot and a jackass.  You will regret it the rest of your life and you know it."

Without a word, Keith left his friend standing alone in the hallway as he made his way to his study.

******************************************

Allura was curled up in bed, hugging a pillow.  She had cried herself dry and was waiting, bitterly, for Keith to come.  But he hadn't.  And it was killing her.

A sharp knock on the door had her sitting upright and running her hands over her hair, trying to smooth it down.  "Come in!"

The door slid open and Lance walked in, or rather stalked in.  He shut the door and angrily paced the floor, muttering under his breath.  Allura watched him and waited for him to speak.

"What do you want?"  She finally asked.

"You are two of the stupidest, moronic…morons I have ever met!"

"Excuse me?"

"Why did you break up with him?"

Allura hugged her pillow to her chest, "We, uh, we need time apart."

"Why?"  
  


"I don't want to tie him down so young, especially when he still has feelings for another woman.  He will just resent me later."

Lance sat on the bed in front of her and took her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him.  "Do you _really_ want to break up with him?"

"It's right," she whispered.

  
"How do you know that?"

"Because I feel it."

Lance dropped his hands and lowered his head.  Allura watched as he rubbed the back of his neck.  After a few moments, he looked up at her.

"Just answer me this, Allura," he said lowly.  "Do you remember when you thought Keith was dead?"

  
She nodded.

"Do you remember what it was like to think you would never see him again?  Do you remember how devastated you were?"

Tears escaped down her cheeks as she nodded again.

"Now, do you _really_ want him out of your life?"

"Oh, Lance, what have I done?"  She cried, burying her face in her pillow.

He moved closer and wrapped his arms around her in a brotherly hug, "It's not too late to fix it.  He's in his study."

"But does he want to see me?"  She hiccupped.

"He always wants to see you."

Ten minutes later, Allura stood in front of the closed door to Keith's study.  She had quickly washed her face and brushed her hair, trying to put on a brave face.  Taking a deep breath, she knocked on the door.

"Who is it?"  

"It's me," she said quietly, almost afraid he hadn't heard her.

The door slid open and Keith looked down at her.  His face was drawn and his body tense.  "Allura."

"Keith."

He watched her silently as she studied him.  "What do you want?"

"C-can we talk?"

He stepped aside to let her in.

Allura sat on the edge of the couch and smoothed her skirt over her legs, "How, uh, how's Euclida?"

Keith leaned against his desk and crossed his arms over his chest.  "Dr. Gorma said she's fine.  I asked her and her father to stay a little longer so he can keep an eye on her."

"Good, I'm glad to hear she'll be alright."

An awkward silence filled the room as they avoided looking at each other, neither sure what to say.

"Allura…"

"Keith…" 

The Princess smiled nervously, "Sorry, what were you going to say?"

"I was going to say that I think you're right."

"What?"

He cleared his throat, "I, uh, think you were right.  We need some time."

Allura felt her heart constrict, "What?"

"There is a lot going on, Allura.  Maybe we need some time to work out our feelings and decide what we really want."

"Oh."

"What were you going to say?"  Keith asked.

"Just that…that I…nothing," she stood on shaky legs.  "I just wanted to know how everything went with…with Euclida.  I have to go meet with Koran."  Without another word, she hurried from the room.

"Whoa," Lance grabbed Allura by the shoulders as she raced down the hall in tears.  "What happened?  Didn't you talk to Keith?"

"Yes I talked to him," she spat.  "And he doesn't love me!  We're through!"  Allura pulled herself from Lance's grasp and ran down the hall.

Lance watched her go and turned to see the door to Keith's office slide shut.  He threw his hands in the air.  If the two of them weren't able to see their mistake now, they would learn as time went on.

****************************************

Nearly a week later, Keith sat in his study staring at Allura's engagement ring.  It had been a hard few days full of soul searching and intense emotions.  He had taken to eating his meals in his study and avoiding the Princess at all costs.  It wasn't as hard as he thought it would be since she was obviously avoiding him.  Aside from morning practice and necessary meetings, they didn't see each other at all.

He missed her terribly.  The way she felt, the way she tasted.  He missed talking to her, hearing her laugh, seeing her smile.  

Sven and Romelle had returned to Pollux when it had become obvious that Allura didn't want to help with wedding plans at the moment and that neither she nor Keith wanted to talk.  They both just wanted to return to normal.

But without her, his life wasn't normal, it was empty.  

Swallowing hard, Keith slipped the ring into a small compartment in the middle drawer of his desk.  He wanted to go to her, but he was afraid to.  He knew she had been spending a lot of time with Lance and it bugged the hell out of him.  He remembered what it was like when they had first come to Arus and she and Lance had formed a fast friendship.  It was jealousy, he realized and he hated it.

Euclida had returned home.  She was fine, still a little shaken, but fine.  With her out of the castle, Keith realized just how much he missed Allura.  It was like a fog had lifted from his mind.  But it didn't make sense.  He didn't have feelings for Euclida, did he?  No, he didn't.  He knew Lotor had had something to do with it, but he couldn't figure it out.

Keith pulled a notepad out of his desk and looked at the notes he had jotted down:

            **Euclida**** has mind manipulated by Haggar**

**            Thought she and I could be together**

**            Allura breaks up with me, jealous of Euclida**

What if Haggar had gotten to Allura too?  But then wouldn't his mind have been manipulated as well?  

Keith jumped to his feet.  That had to be it!  He hadn't even given thought to Euclida before they arrived on Doom to rescue her.  He had felt a pull towards her, he couldn't deny that.  And when she was gone, the pull went as well.  What if Allura had felt something on Doom?  It wasn't real!  

Yanking open the drawer, he grabbed the ring and stuffed it into his pocket.  It was time to end his misery, to end the longest week of his life.  He had to talk to her. They had to work it out.

He checked her study and found it empty.  She wasn't in her room or the rec room.  He passed Pidge who told him he had seen her and Lance talking on the Observation Deck.

With a spring in his step that had disappeared a week before, Keith jogged toward the Observation Deck.

His heart stopped and his throat closed. 

Allura and Lance stood in front of the windows in an intimate embrace.  They had yet to see the Captain as Lance stroked Allura's back and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Well isn't this cozy?"  Keith asked bitterly.

The two broke apart quickly.  
  
"Keith, it isn't…"  Lance's words went unsaid as Keith's fist connected with his jaw.  

Allura screamed as Lance stumbled back and fell against the wall, holding his chin, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.


	43. Setting Things Right

Allura had clasped both hands over her mouth in shock.

"Get up," Keith demanded as Lance wiped the drop of blood with the back of his hand.  

"I'm not going to fight you, Keith," Lance said.

Allura grabbed her skirt and rushed from the room, horrified.

"You move fast," Keith snarled.

Lance stood on unsteady feet and rubbed his chin, "You're lucky I like you man, because I am so tempted to kick your ass."

"Bring it on."

"What is with you?"  
  


"What is with me?  Could it be the fact that you can't keep your hands off Allura?"

"Well, maybe if _you_ touched her, she wouldn't be coming to me."

Lance saw it coming this time and dodged away from Keith's swinging fist.

"You asshole," the Captain hissed.

  
"If she was with me, it's because you pushed her away," Lance told him.

"How long did you wait before you made your move?  Two days?  Four days?"

"Make my move?  God, you're an idiot!"  
  


"You're a scumbag!"

Lance held his hands up, "Step back, Keith.  It wasn't what you think.  She's like a sister to me, I would never take advantage of her."

"You were all over her!"

"I was comforting her!  She's devastated!  She wants to go to you, but she can't.  Do you have any idea how hard this has been for her?  For four years she has gone to you for help and advice.  Even before you were dating, Allura could go to you.  Now she can't.  Not only is she broken hearted, but she lost her closest confidante.  Yeah, she came to me, as her second choice!"

Keith lowered his hands, feeling foolish.   

"She loves you, Keith, but she doesn't think she can come to you."

"I'm, uh, I'm sorry, Lance."

  
"Yeah, you should be."  
  


"I shouldn't have hit you."  
  


"No, you shouldn't have.  But even worse, you thought I would try and take Allura from you.  She's like a sister to me, she is very important to me and as much as I love you, I can't stand watching you hurt her."

  
Keith's defenses came up, "She was the one who broke up with me."

"You were the one cozying up with Euclida."  Lance sighed, "Alright, that was low, I admit it.  I know you were just trying to help her.  But Allura was upset and hurt.  She realized her mistake later that day and she came to your study to try and set things right, but you told her you wanted time apart."

"She didn't say anything."

"Well, no, she thought you wanted to break up with her.  What was she supposed to say?"

Keith sat in one of the overstuffed chairs and put his face in his hands, "What do I do?"

  
"Well, sitting on your ass isn't going to get anything done."

"You're right," Keith rubbed his hands on his legs.  "I am really, really sorry Lance."  
  


"Next time, Commander or not, I am going to kick your ass."

"I know."

Lance took pity on his friend and laid a hand on his shoulder, "Do you want to know why she was so upset?"

Guilt washed over Keith, "Why?"

"Apparently, it was a month ago today that you proposed to her."

It was a knife in the heart.  "I didn't even realize…"

"Go to her, Keith, make this right."

He nodded and slowly got to his feet, "I just hope I'm not too late."

"You're not.  She's miserable."  
  


"So am I."

Lance rolled his eyes, "You are an idiot.  Go to her, beg her forgiveness."

"Thank you, Lance."

"Yeah, you owe me, man."

"I owe you big."

******************************************************

Keith stood nervously in front of Allura's closed door.  His heart was racing as he wiped his moist palms on his pant legs.  What if she didn't take him back?  What if she hated him for hitting Lance?  Why had he done that?  That was completely out of character for him, was this another sign that he had been manipulated?  
  


He clutched and unclutched his hands before finally knocking.

"Who is it?"  Her voice sounded raw.

"It's me," he said quietly.

She hesitated.  Should she let him in?  Was he still angry?  No, Keith would never hurt her.  Taking a deep breath, Allura walked to the door and opened it.  Her heart shuttered at the sight of him.  He raised his eyes to hers and she knew he was not angry.  He was hurt and he was sorry.

"Allura," Keith ran a shaky hand through his hair.  "I am so sorry."

"So am I," she whispered.

"Can…can we talk?"

"Of course," she stepped aside to let him in.  

"I don't even know where to begin."

Allura shut the door and turned to face him, "What happened, Keith?"

"I don't know.  What I _do_ know is that I love you and I have missed you so much these past few days."

Allura pursed her lips, feeling the tears well up in her eyes.

Taking her silence as reluctance, Keith began to pace the floor.  "I have been going out of my mind, Allura.  I didn't know what was going on, but when I sat down to think it through, I started to consider that there were other powers at work here.  Maybe Haggar manipulated you and me as well, not just Euclida.  Something happened when we went to Doom, I know you felt it too."

She nodded.

"What you and I have is real and we can't let that witch come between us.  We can work this out.  Please give me a chance to make this up to you."

Allura blinked, feeling a tear slide down her cheek.

He stopped in front of her, wanting to touch her but unsure.  "Talk to me, please."

"I've missed you too," she breathed.

Almost afraid to believe it, he stepped closer, "We can make this right?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

She nodded, another tear trailing down her cheek.

In one swift move, Keith wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her tight against him.  Allura wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck.  

*******************************************************

Haggar glided into the main throne room.  If she had cared enough to notice, it might have bothered her to see the castle crumbling down around her.  The world Zarkon had worked so hard to build was falling to ruins as his son sought his obsession.

Lotor was seated at a table, devouring an elaborate meal as a lovely young blonde woman dressed in rags stood beside him.  He didn't even bother to lift his head when the witch entered, "What is it?"

"You hesitated too long."

The ignorant young ruler of Doom looked up at her, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin, "What do you mean?"

"The Princess and the Captain are once again growing closer.  You hesitated too long."

He stood so quickly his chair fell over with a loud bang.  The young girl jumped, but stayed in her spot.

"It has only been a week!  I thought you said they would stay apart!"

"I could not guarantee that, but once again you heard only what you wanted to hear."  
  


Lotor stormed over to the witch and towered above her, "Fix this."

"They belong together.  No matter what obstacles you put between them, they will find their way back together."

Lotor seethed with rage.  "Is your robeast ready?"

"It is too late, they are already moving back together."

With a roar of rage, Lotor whirled around and upended the food laden table.  "Finish the robeast and we will attack!"

************************************************

"You felt it too?"  Allura asked.  "I knew there was something pulling us apart, but at the time I didn't know what it was."

Keith nodded.  They were sitting on her bed, facing each other and talking about what had happened.

"I didn't want to lose you," he said.  "But something was telling me that we needed space…and time."

"I thought that too, but then…" she trailed off.

"But then what?"  He asked, taking her hand.

"But then Lance knocked some sense into me."

"What did he do?"

"He, uh, he pointed out how devastated I was when I thought Lotor had killed you," her voice shook as she looked down at their joined hands.  "When I think about what my life would be like without you, it isn't the life I want.  I am terrified of a future without you."

"You'll never have to know what that's like," he whispered.  "I promise."

"I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Allura, I love you, completely.  I need you to understand that.  Just because I'm upset or I'm busy or I'm angry or talking to Euclida doesn't mean I stopped loving you.  You are and always will be the woman I love, the most important person in my life."

Taking his face in her hands, Allura whispered, "You are an amazing, compassionate man and that is one of the many reasons I love you.  I would never want you to change who you are.  I can honestly say now that I did overreact and you were right in how you treated Euclida."

He leaned forward and kissed her gently.

"So we're okay?"  She whispered, resting her forehead against his.

"No."

"No?"

"Not yet."  He reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring.  "We won't be alright until you accept this again and forgive me, totally, for being a fool."

"Well, it is a pretty ring."

"And you did break up with me first."

  
Allura sighed dramatically and smiled, "Okay.  I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

"There's nothing to forgive, Angel."  He took her left hand and slid the ring into its rightful place.  "Never again, for any reason, ever, are you allowed to take that off."

"What if it falls off?"

  
"I'll go get the soldering iron, that thing is never coming off."  Keith made to stand, but stopped when she grabbed his arm.

"You're not going anywhere," she giggled, pulling him back onto the bed.

The fell back together, Keith landing on top of her.  The laughter died away as they gazed at each other.  Keith stroked her cheek and gently kissed her.

  
"I have missed you so much," he murmured as he raced his lips over her cheek and down her throat.  "You taste so good."

"I do?"  Allura ran her hands up his back and into his hair. 

"Yes, you do.  And you smell good and you're beautiful."

"I didn't know you were so superficial, Captain," she teased.

He captured her earlobe between his teeth and tugged gently, "There is nothing superficial about you, Allura."  He moved to carefully kiss and tease her throat, "You are amazing."

Allura felt her entire body tense as his hands roamed over her.  Her heart raced and her mind went blissfully blank.  She had gone through the motions of life the last week in a daze, feeling lost.  But now everything seemed to fall back into place, life was suddenly bright and beautiful again.

Afraid he was crushing her, Keith rolled over, taking her with him.

Allura laid her head on his chest and smiled, "I could stay here forever."

"So could I, but I go on duty in half an hour."

"Call in sick, make someone cover for you."

He chuckled and stroked her hair, "I wish I could."

She lifted her head to look at him, "We have to make up for lost time."

"Well, it is early duty, I'll be off this evening."

"Twice," Allura said as she brushed the hair off his forehead and stroked his cheek.  "I went for a walk when I couldn't sleep and I found myself in front of your door.  But I couldn't bring myself to knock."

"You really shouldn't do that, Allura."

"What?  Visit you at night?"

"Well, no, I like that, even though you shouldn't do it, we'll get in trouble.  But you shouldn't be wandering around the castle alone at night."

"What should I do?  I have trouble sleeping."

"You can call me on your communicator, we can talk.  At a safe distance."

"I don't want to be at a safe distance from you."

Keith ran his hands over her back, "It seems like we're always meeting late at night."  
  


A smile flitted across her lips, "Like that time I caught you on the Observation Deck and you almost kissed me."

"You remember that?"

She nodded.

"God, I wanted to touch you so badly that night.  You were so beautiful.  All dressed in white, that was when I first thought you looked like an angel.  That image haunted me for many nights."

"Why do you think we run into each other at night?"

Keith shrugged, "Maybe because it's the only time we can really be alone."

"Maybe we should make a date to meet at a set time each night."

"Or maybe we should sleep so we can be rested for practice in the morning."  
  


She laid her head back on his chest, "Always the soldier."

"Someone has to look out for you if you're going to be up walking around, unattended."

"We're safe here in the castle."

"Lotor has shown that he can…" Keith stopped when the castle alarms went off.  "Care to repeat your last comment?"

Allura groaned and rolled off him, "He has impeccable timing."

They raced to Castle Control to find the rest of the Force already there.

"What is it?"  Keith asked.

"Doom fighters and a coffin ship," Koran told him.

Keith turned to his team, noticing the slight swell of Lance's mouth and winced. "To your Lions, gang."

A coffin ship came to a smooth landing beside the castle while four fighters exchanged fire with the turret guns.  

"Looks like the fighters are under control," Keith said.  "Let's see what's lying in the coffin."

The lid slowly opened and revealed a monstrous robeast.  It rose to a height equal to Voltron with four arms and a large, spiked horn protruding from its forehead.  It let out a mighty roar and stomped toward the castle.

Without further delay, the Force formed Voltron.  The mighty robot stepped between the robeast and the castle, just barely missing the horn as the robeast brought its head down.  Voltron knocked the creature to the ground but was brought down beside it when the robeast grabbed Blue Lion.

  
"Allura!"  Keith shouted.  

"I'm fine," she assured him.

"Let's get this over with!  Form Blazing Sword!"

The robeast swung around and sent Voltron flying back into the woods.

  
"Shake it off," Keith said.

  
The robot knight rose to its feet and raised the sword over its head.  Swinging down, they cleanly cut off one of the robeast's arms before it swung around and knocked Voltron down again.  The fight continued for quite a few more minutes before Voltron was able to successfully decapitate the robeast with the Blazing Sword.  They hadn't had a fight that intense in years.

"What's the damage?"  Allura asked Koran as they all stumbled back into Castle Control.

  
She cradled her left wrist to her chest, Hunk walked with a limp, Lance rubbed his arm where he had slammed it against the main console, Pidge looked a little shaken, and Keith had a trickle of blood running down the side of his face from a cut on his temple.

"We won't know right away, your highness," Koran told her.  "I suggest you all go get looked at by Dr. Gorma and I will get the report to you as soon as possible."

She nodded.

"Come on, guys," Keith held a handkerchief to his head.  "Let's see what Dr. Gorma has to say, then I want each of us to go over our Lions and come up with a list of necessary repairs."

"It seems like Haggar is getting better with her robeast making," Pidge muttered as they made their way down the hall.

Keith grabbed Lance's arm and held him back.

  
"I, uh, I wanted to apologize again, Lance," he said.  "I really am sorry for what happened earlier."

Lance shrugged, "It's alright, man.  What about you and Allura?"

"We worked it out."

"Good."

"I know you would never try and steal her from me, I don't know what I was thinking."

"Besides," Lance said haughtily as they started down the hall again.  "If I had wanted Allura, you wouldn't have had a chance in the first place."

Keith snorted, "Nah, she's more about substance than glitter."

"Hey!  I'm full of substance."

"Yeah, you're full of something."

_{{  "My poor baby," Darcy kissed Lance's cheek.  "I can't believe he hit you."_

_Always one to soak up attention, Lance sniffled and laid his head on her shoulder.  "You know my broken tooth?"_

_"He did that?"  She gasped._

_"No!"  Keith scoffed.  "You broke that tooth when you were twelve and you fell out of a tree.  Be a man, it wasn't that bad."_

_"I had a swollen lip for a while."_

_Keith rolled his eyes, "So you couldn't make out with any of the maids for 24 hours, how ever did you survive?"_

_"I don't know."_

_"So everything was alright?"  Becca asked._

_"The Lions were pretty beaten up, it took quite a few days to get them up and running again," Keith explained.  "We were lucky that we weren't attacked in that time, but I did receive an interesting message from Lotor…__}}_


	44. A Challenge

Hi all~

RedLion2 ~ Here's my theory on why only one robeast is sent at a time: They are very intricate creatures and they take time to make and Lotor is too impatient to wait for more than one to be completed.  He's also arrogant enough to think he can strike when they aren't expecting it and that _this_ robeast will be the one to defeat Voltron.  So I blame Lotor's arrogance and impatience.  Just my theory.  

Anony, T.F. Kit, Black Knight 03, Dee, and Nova Victoria Jade Satori ~ Thank you for your great reviews! You all really know how to make my day!  And T.F. Kit, I'm looking forward to chapter 6!

Just a quick warning, there is a little friskiness at the beginning of this chapter.    
  
Enjoy,

Failte

**********************************************

Keith knocked on the door to Allura's study.  Koran had called him in from the workroom where he and the other guys had been working on the Lions, fixing the damage done to them in the battle the day before.  Allura wanted to be out there helping, but her wrist had been badly sprained and she was of very little help at the moment.

"It's open," she called out.

The door slid open and Keith couldn't help but smile when he saw her, bent over her desk, her brow furrowed in concentration.  She made a quick notation and looked up, her face instantly relaxing when she saw him.

"Hi."

He walked in and shut the door behind him, "Hi."

"How're things going with the Lions?"  
  


"Blue was hit the worst."  He laid a hand on her shoulder when she winced, "But Hunk said she'll be fine.  We were able to order the needed parts and they will be delivered with the next shipment from the Garrison."

"How long until I can fly her again?"

Keith began to massage her shoulders, "Hunk said by the end of the week."

"Good," she purred tipping her head back to look at him.  "What's up?"

"What do you mean?"

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?"

"Maybe it's because I haven't seen you in three hours and I missed you."

"You're starting to sound like a stalker, Keith."

Letting go of her shoulders, he pushed aside the papers and hopped up on her desk so he was sitting in front of her, "I have good news."

"You're pregnant?"  She asked excitedly.

He laughed and leaned over to kiss the top of her head, "Smartass.  No, this is really good news."

Laying her hand on his knee, she watched him expectantly, "Are you going to tell me or not?"

Keith reached into his back pocket and held out a folded envelope to her.

She took it with her uninjured hand and read the address on it, "This is from the Garrison."

"I know."  He took pity on her as she tried to open the envelope one handed and took it from her.  Unfolding the piece of linen parchment, he held it out.

Allura scanned the letter, her mouth opening in shock.  She read it again to make sure it was real.  With an excited shout, she jumped out of her seat and threw herself at him.  "This is amazing!  Oh, Keith, I am so happy!"  She exclaimed, pressing her lips to his.

"Me too," he grinned.

"When did you get this?"  She asked, holding the letter up.

"It just arrived certified delivery and Koran called me in to sign for it."

Allura bit her lip and studied him, "Its official, now, Keith.  You have been permanently assigned to Arus.  This is really happening, isn't it?"

"Yes it is," he ran his hand over her hair, cupping the back of her head.  "You okay?"

"I'm great, a little overwhelmed.  I mean, it is really happening, we're getting married, Keith."

"Having second thoughts?"

"Never.  But is this ironclad?  Is there still a chance of you getting transferred at all?"

He shrugged, "It would be a very slim chance.  They want me to be the official Garrison liaison for this sector, so I will probably have to do some traveling, but I will always come back home."

"Home," she smiled sweetly and leaned against him.  "This really is your home, isn't it?"

"Yup, we're making our home together."

Throwing her arms around his neck, Allura stepped between his legs to lean completely against him, "Can we set a date now?"

"Sure."

"How about next week?"

He chuckled, "I think we should wait until after Sven and Romelle, they did get engaged first and we don't want to step on their toes."

"But they're not getting married for another six months," she whined.

"Tell you what," he said, wrapping his arms around her waist and putting his feet up on her chair, trapping her in.  "We will get together tonight after dinner and pick a date."

Leaning her head against his shoulder, she whispered, "And then I can meet with Hilla to start designing a dress."

"Sounds good."

"I've been thinking about where we'll live."

"What do you mean?"

"I was thinking that we should move into the North Wing."

He tightened his arms around her, "If that's what you want."

Allura had occupied the North Wing with her parents, it had the largest rooms and the best views.  When it was safe enough to move back into the castle, she had moved into a room in the West Wing down the hall from Koran, she couldn't bear to be up there all by herself.  

"I do, Keith, I want to have our family up there.  It's sort of away from everyone, like we can have our own little house and still live with the others."

"I'll go anywhere you want to go," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her throat.

She leaned heavier against him, "I'll talk to Nanny about going up there and getting it cleaned out."

"I'll help you."

"You bet you will," she smiled, forcing herself on him until Keith was lying back on her desk and she was on top of him.

"How did this happen?"  He asked, rubbing her back.

"I don't know, want me to get up?"

"Uh, not just yet."

She ran the fingers of her right hand up and down his side, "We can redo the master bedroom for us and the room next to it that would make a great nursery."

"Just let me know when you want to start."

"How about right now?"  She asked, combing her fingers through her hair and attacking his mouth with hers.

Keith cupped his hand over the back of her head as he deepened the kiss, growling slightly as he felt her hand run down his side and slip under his shirt.  Moving of their own accord, his arms stretched above his head as she forced his shirt up to his chest.  Lifting her head slightly, they broke the kiss just long enough so they could pull the shirt over his head, before their lips were drawn back together.  His fingers found their way to the zipper of her gown and he slowly pulled it down, exposing a smooth line of her back to his seeking hands.

"Mm," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder as his hands stroked and massaged her bare back.

"I love you," he whispered into her ear as he continued to explore within her dress.

"I love you too," she whispered back, pushing herself up to straddle him, holding her dress to her.  

Her hair was mussed and coming out of its neat braid, her cheeks were red and her lips swollen.  He reached up to stroke her cheek, "You are so beautiful."  

Smiling impishly, she lowered the dress over one shoulder.

"You're killing me, Allura."

Her smile grew slightly as she lowered the other shoulder, holding her dress in place just above her breasts.

Unable to help himself, Keith sat up and pulled her to him, hungrily plundering her mouth.  Allura wrapped her legs around his waist and hugged him to her, deepening the kiss.  He moved his mouth down her throat to her shoulder, kissing, nibbling.  

"Keith?"

"Hm?"

She tightened her arms and legs, grinding slightly against him, smiling when he groaned against her shoulder.  "Is this it?"

He sighed and lifted his head.  The thought that if he moved too far away and her dress would fall entered his mind and it was driving him crazy.  "On your desk?"

She smiled and bit her lip, "I don't care where, as long as it's with you."

"God, I love you," he murmured.

"We can sneak back to your room," she suggested.

Keith pursed his lips, torn.  He wanted, so badly it hurt, to be with her.  But was this right?  Should he let this happen before they got married?  They were going to marry, so why not?

"Keith?"

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

He snatched a quick kiss and grinned at her, "You're on, Beautiful."

She slipped a hand between their bodies to secure her dress in place so she could slide it back into place.  Not wanting to leave him just yet, she untangled herself from him slowly and stood, turning so her back faced him.  "Could you please zipper me back up?"

Licking his lips, Keith began to slowly pull the zipper up, stopping halfway to press a line of kisses up her heated back.  She gasped and shivered when she felt his warm, moist mouth on her back.  Nerves and excitement danced through her body, making her weak in the knees.

"Hurry up," she whimpered.

Smiling at her impatience, he slowed his progress, drawing out the exquisite ecstasy.

"Keith."

With a heavy sigh, he tugged the zipper up the last inch and turned her to him, "That's just a taste of what to expect."

"I think I might be in over my head," she whispered as he picked his shirt up off the floor and pulled it on.

"Change your mind?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"You to stop playing games," she took his hand and pulled him toward the door.

  
"There you are, Princess."

Allura pasted a fake smile on her face when they came face to face with Nanny on the other side of her door, "Yes, Nanny, what is it?"

Nanny frowned disapprovingly at her young charge's disheveled appearance, "These just arrived your highness, I thought you would like to see them."

Allura took the large envelope Nanny handed her and turned it over, Keith looking over her shoulder.  She grinned and handed it to Keith, "It's our pictures!  We have to pick one to give to the papers."  

"Why don't you pick the one now and I'll have a messenger take it to the printer," Nanny suggested.

With a frustrated sigh, Keith tore open the envelope and pulled out a small pile of proofs, which Allura snatched from his hand and carried over to the desk.

Nanny stood beside her as she spread them out over the desktop, "Oh, Princess, I like that one."

Allura looked at the one she was pointing to.  It showed Allura sitting up straight in a chair, cradling a rose in her arms, while Keith stood behind and to the side of her, his hand resting on her shoulder.  "Yes, that's nice."

Keith stood on the other side of her, "I don't know, it seems a little…fake."

"It's not fake, Captain," Nanny said, annoyed.  "It's elegant."

"What about this one?"  Allura asked holding up a picture of Keith sitting in the chair and her behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"Ach, no!  That is totally undignified."  
  


Keith laid a reassuring hand on her back, "I like it.  We'll think on that one."

"Keep in mind, Princess," Nanny spoke up.  "That this will be used in newspapers and magazines across the universe and beyond."

"I know," the young Princess mumbled as she shuffled through the pile before stopping on one.

Keith leaned over her shoulder, "That's the one."

Allura grinned, "Yes it is."

"Let me see," Nanny held her hand out for the photograph.

Allura handed her the image of her and Keith both standing, facing each other, their hands clasped together.  Allura was dressed in a formal blue gown, looking up at Keith, a laughing smile across her face.  He was looking down at her, wearing his dress uniform and a small smile on his lips.  They both looked at ease and truly happy.  It had been the last picture taken that day, Lance had shown up to see what was taking so long and he was making smart aleck remarks to make them laugh.  

"Oh I don't know," Nanny sighed.  "It seems a little to…casual.  Don't you want one of the more traditional or elegant ones?"

"No," Allura said.  "That's us."

"You're sure?"

"Yes," Keith told her.

"Fine, I will address a letter to the printer, but I won't send it out until tomorrow morning so if you change your mind, you have time."

"We're not going to change our mind," Allura assured her.

"Yes, well, we'll see.  Oh, and Princess?"

"Yes, Nanny?"

"You may want to change before dinner, you're dress is rather wrinkled."  With that, the older woman swept from the room.

Allura piled the other proofs up, trying to ignore the heat rising to her face.

With a mischievous smile, Keith laid his hand on the back of her neck, gently massaging.  "I guess the moment's ruined, huh?"

"It seems like something always ruins the moment," she mumbled.

"Hm, is that a put down?"  

"You know what I mean."

"I think it's a sign, Allura, that we shouldn't rush things."

"I don't think waiting four years is rushing anything," she replied.

****************************************************************

A few nights later, Keith and Allura had been able snatch an evening alone.  They were cuddled on the sofa in the rec room watching a movie, relaxing for the first time in what seemed like ages.  There had been no reported movement on Doom in days and work was going smoothly in Alforia and around the planet.

Keith tightened his arms around Allura as she laughed at the antics on the screen.  He loved moments like this, they were safe and together.  Allura was relaxed and happy.  She was leaning against him, both his arms wrapped around her, while she unconsciously rubbed his leg.  It was at times like this that he could imagine a life after Doom, when they could be like this all the time.  

Allura stretched and reached her arms behind her, wrapping them around his neck, bringing his head down and kissing his cheek as the end credits rolled.  "Good movie, sweetie."  
  


"I thought you'd like it," he whispered, turning her head so he could kiss her full on the lips.

"What I really like," she said, turning to face him.  "Are these stolen moments we find."

"That pretty much sums up our relationship."

"It isn't forever, Keith."

"I know."

"Come on," she stood and held a hand out to him.  "Let's go for a walk."

Keith checked his watch and looked out the window, it was getting dark.

"Oh, come on, it's not that late."

"Alright, alright."  He let her pull him to his feet.  "Just once around the lake."

"Yeah, I want to go to bed early, I have a meeting after practice in the morning."

"Anything I can help with?"

She shook her head, "Nah, thanks, just some boring planet ruling stuff."

He laughed and slung his arm around her shoulders, grabbing his communicator from his belt when it beeped.  "Whitaker."

"Hey, Cap, you have a call coming in," Pidge told him.

"Who from?"  
  
The Green pilot shrugged, "We can't tell, they've scrambled the line so we can't trace it."

Keith sighed, it had to be Doom.  "Alright, I'll be right there."  He snapped his communicator shut and turned to Allura, "I have to go take care of a something, why don't you go grab a jacket, its cool out.  I'll meet you at the main entrance in ten minutes."

She didn't move, "What is it, Keith?"

"Just an incoming call, nothing really, probably just my mother or something."

Allura narrowed her eyes, "Don't shield me, Keith, is it Doom?"

He ran his hand through his hair, "Don't know, they scrambled the transmission so we don't know who it is."

"But you think it's Doom."  
  


"Probably."

"I'll go with you," she said, leading the way to Castle Control.

Taking a deep breath, he ran after her, grabbing her arm and stopping her.  "Allura, this call is for me.  If it is Doom, let me deal with it.  I am in charge of the Force, I will deal with him."

She stuck her chin out defiantly, "I won't be kept in the dark."

"No, you won't, but please let me handle this."

"Fine, but I'm still coming."

"Fine," he snapped before mumbling under his breath, "Pushy little pain in the butt."

"I heard that."

"I'm sure you did."

She slid her arm around his waist and pinched his bottom, "I can be much worse than a pain in the butt."

They entered Castle Control together to find Koran and Pidge standing by the videophone console.

"Captain, Princess" Koran greeted them as they entered.

"Who is it?"  Keith asked.

"Guess," Pidge snorted.

"Captain."

Keith looked at the monitor to see Lotor staring back.  The ruler of Doom was seated in a high backed chair, his hands folded in his lap, watching the scene before him.  "Lotor."

"I was hoping you and I could have a few words, alone."

Keith nodded to Koran and Pidge and they both left, leaving Allura standing beside him.  "What is it, Lotor?"

"I requested _alone_, Captain."

"Just get to the point," Keith sighed.

"Princess," Lotor nodded to her.

"Lotor."  Her voice was stiff when she spoke.

"This is between the Captain and I, it would do you good to know your place."  
  


Keith could all but see the steam pouring from Allura's ears as she stepped closer.  "I know my place," she assured him.  "I am ruler of this planet and fiancée of the man you are about to speak to.  This _is_ my place."

"Let the men speak."

"Alright," Keith interrupted.  "Enough of this, Lotor, just get to your point."

"Fine, Captain, I have a proposition for you."

"What is it?"

"I want to challenge you to duel."

"Excuse me?"

"Just you and me, the winner gets the Princess."

Keith ran his hand over his face, not believing what he was hearing.  "You're kidding me, right?"

"No, I can assure you I am not."

"Allura is not a possession, Lotor.  Even if I wanted to, I could not just hand her over to you, she chose to be with me, not you."

Lotor let out a bark of laughter, "What is it with you?  You allow a woman to lead you around by the nose when you, the man, should have better control over her."

Keith felt Allura tense beside him.  He gave her hand a gentle squeeze, "I am not going to duel with you, Lotor."

"So you are willing to admit in front of your woman that you are afraid of me."

"I am not afraid of you, Lotor, I just refuse to lower myself to your level.  If you wish to officially surrender, just say the word and we will pick you up."

"This isn't about surrendering, Captain, this is about me claiming what's mine."  
  


Keith raised his eyebrows, "Excuse me?"

"The Princess was promised to me a long time ago and I intend on collecting her."

"Alright," Keith leaned closer to the monitor, irritation etched on his face.  "Enough of this.  If you come anywhere near Allura, I will kill you."

Lotor laughed again, "I'm not afraid of you Captain.  I take it you are going to accept my challenge."

"No," Allura whispered into Keith's ear.  "He'll fight dirty, you can't trust him."

"I don't plan on fighting him," Keith whispered back.

Lotor cleared his throat.

Keith looked up, "I am not going to duel you."

"We can meet on neutral ground, just you and me, man to man."

"No, Lotor."

"Well, we can either do that or I can show up on Arus and we do it on my terms."

Keith narrowed his eyes, "Is that a threat, Lotor?"

"More like a promise."

Allura watched as Keith tensed, his hands shaking slightly as he gripped the edge of the monitor.  She laid a hand on his arm, feeling the tightly coiled muscles beneath his shirt sleeve.  "Keith."

"Fine," he snarled at the smug, lavender face in the screen.  "I'll meet with you."

"No," Allura whispered.

"I will be in touch with the specifics."

"Wait!"  Keith stopped Lotor from ending the connection.  "You will not decide on the specifics, I will."

Lotor raised one white eyebrow, "I don't think you are in any position to tell me what to do."

"Anyway you look at it, Lotor, you will go down."

"You're quite sure of yourself."

"When it comes to Allura, I am very sure."

"One week, Planet Vistro, just you and me."

"One week, _not _Planet Vistro, I know Doom has sympathizers on that planet, Planet Dewhur and I will bring two of my men with me since I know I can't trust you."

"One week, Planet Dewhur, and one man."

"Two men.  Your word is no good, I will have backup."

"One man and the Princess."

Keith shook his head, "The Princess does not come."

"Fine, one week from today, midday, Planet Dewhur, one man as backup, and we fight hand-to-hand and sword."

"You're on."

"Until then, Captain," Lotor nodded to him and closed the connection.

Keith sighed angrily and turned to see Allura watching him.  "What?"

"I can't believe you did that," Allura whispered.

"I had to."

"No you didn't!"

"Allura, it was either I face him out in the open or he attacks us here."

"If he attacked us here, then you would have all of us as backup.  Now you're fighting him alone and you know as well as I do that he is untrustworthy."

"I can handle him, Allura.  Hand-to-hand combat is my strong point.  I'll take Lance, he can back me up if anything should happen.  And with all the rebuilding that has been completed, the last thing we want is for Doom to attack and destroy what has been completed."

The Princess stared at him with wide, angry eyes, "You are an arrogant moron!  I can't believe you're doing this!"  
  


"I have to, Allura, for us.  This could be it, we could be free of him forever."  He took her hand, "Come on, I think we were going to go for a walk."

She shook her head and pulled her hand away, "I have to go to bed, I have a lot to do tomorrow."

"Allura, don't be mad, I love you.  You'll see in the long run that this is the right thing to do."

"I'm not mad, I'm frustrated.  Good night, Keith."  She kissed his cheek and hurried from the room.


	45. Good Luck, My Love

Hi all,

  
Thank you so much for the amazing reviews, I really appreciate them!  D.G glad to see you're back and feeling better.  I am terribly jealous, I would love to get Lasik!

Sorry for the delay in this chapter, but things have been unbelievably busy lately, combined with the holiday and that I was sick last week.  I am going away this weekend, but I hope to get the next chapter up ASAP.

Important warning:  This is an R rated chapter.  If you might be offended by it, please don't read it.

All relative disclaimers apply…yadda yadda yadda…

Enjoy!  
Failte

***************************************************************

_{{  "Wait, wait, wait," Darcy interrupted.  "You actually accepted a challenge from Lotor to duel?  Alone?"_

_"Yes," Allura said angrily.  "He did."_

_"Well, that was just stupid."_

_The Queen of Arus sighed, "I know!  I was so angry!  All he was doing was proving what a macho, arrogant, idiot he could be."_

_Keith sat back and grinned, "But she gave me one hell of a good luck present."_

_"I was terrified I would never see you again."_

_"I knew what I was doing."_

_  
Allura snorted in a most unladylike fashion._

_"And I had to do it.  I had to let Lotor know that he couldn't keep pushing us around and that he couldn't have you."_

_"Well, you obviously survived, what happened?"  Becca asked._

_"I practiced and planned and went in there and kicked Lotor's ass," Keith said smugly._

_"Yup," Lance agreed cheerfully.  "And now we'll tell you what **really** happened…}}_

Allura stood beside the weight bench in the gym and watched Keith as he practiced hand-to-hand with Hunk.  Every day since he agreed to meet Lotor, he had practiced extensively, hand-to-hand with Hunk and fencing with Lance.  She knew that in a fair fight, he would defeat Lotor without a problem.  Keith was strong, quick, and good.  But then this was Lotor, which meant it wouldn't be a fair fight.

With a grunt, Keith flipped Hunk onto his back and pinned him with an arm to the throat.  

"Alright, alright," Hunk panted.  "I need a break."

With a smile, Keith stood and offered his friend a hand.  "Feeling a bit winded, man?  Do I need to up our daily workouts?"

"I thought you had already."

Allura watched the two men chatting and laughing as though they didn't have a care in the world.  This was killing her.  She had made it quite clear what she thought of Keith accepting Lotor's challenge.  She had asked, pleaded, commanded, and begged him to not go through with it.  But he assured her repeatedly that he knew what he was doing and that this was just something he _had_ to do.  

"Hey there."

Allura snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Keith grinning at her as he threw a towel over his shoulder.  

"What's up?"  He asked.

"I just stopped by to see how things were going."

He nodded, "Everything is going fine, Allura, really.  I'm going to go grab a shower and then we're going to have a meeting in the conference room in half an hour."

"What about?"

"You'll find out then."  
  


"Keith, I…"

"I know, I know," he interrupted.  "You think this is stupid and if I loved you I wouldn't go through with it.  But because I do love you and I do want us to have a future together, I am going to do this.  I need you to trust me."

"Okay, but what I was going to say is that I have to make a call and I will meet you in the conference room."

"Oh."

"But I do think this is stupid and I am still upset with you for going through with it."

"I know," he leaned in to kiss her.

Allura placed a hand on his chest and stopped him, "You're sweaty and I'm angry."

"Come one, don't be angry, babe, I want you to understand that I need to do this and I'm doing it for us."

She sighed and crossed her arms, "You're still sweaty."

"I'm going to shower, wanna wash my back?"

A smile played at the corners of her mouth, "No."

He took a small step closer, "How 'bout my front?"

A full fledged smile crossed her lips as she took a step back, "I'll see you in the conference room in thirty minutes."

Before she could get any further, he grabbed her arms and pulled her roughly against him, pressing his lips to hers in a powerful kiss.  Allura grabbed the front of his shirt as her knees weakened and she gave herself to him.  Keith slowly pulled back and looked down at her through half closed eyes, a satisfied grin on his face.  "Thirty minutes."

"What?  Oh, yeah," she mumbled, taking a shaky step backwards.

"Come on, don't make me hose you off."

Both Keith and Allura looked up to see Lance standing beside them.  

"What do you want, Lieutenant?"  Keith asked.

"This came for you," Lance held a folded piece of paper out to him.

Keith took it and skimmed it.  He nodded and looked up at the two of them, "Conference room, thirty minutes, be there."  With that, he turned and jogged to the showers.

**********************************

"Alright, Chief, fill us in," Lance said as he fell into his seat between Allura and Hunk at the table in the conference room.

Keith scowled at him, "Alright, I will get right to the point."  He looked around the table, Allura sat at the head and he sat to her left.  Across from him was Lance and Hunk and beside him were Pidge and Koran.  Clearing his throat, Keith continued.

"As you all know, I am going tomorrow to Planet Dewhur to face Lotor in a one-on-one fight.  I know you all think this is pretty stupid, but it is something I have to do.  All precautions have been taken.  I am taking Hunk with me and leaving Lance as my second-in-command.  Sven and Romelle will be arriving in the morning so that you will have four Lion pilots if the need arises."

He held up the folded piece of paper Lance had delivered to him earlier, "I have also spoken to the Garrison and there will be at least a dozen fighters within a fifteen minute flight from here for the next two days.   Hunk and I will be escorted by half a dozen Garrison fighters, but I will keep my word, and they will be circling just outside the atmosphere and will only come if they are called.  I will only be armed with my hands and my sword, Hunk will have a loaded blaster.  Not only if Lotor steps out of line, but because Dewhur is a wild planet and there are some animals we may need to worry about.  I will be sending the coordinates of our meeting place to Doom this evening and, if all goes well, I will be home tomorrow evening."

Silence hung heavy in the air as they all absorbed what he had just told them.  Pidge let out a low whistle while Allura watched him with her steady gaze.  Koran broke the silence when he cleared his throat.

  
"It appears, Captain, that you have thought this through.  I believe we will be safe here and we wish you the best of luck in this endeavor."

"Thank you, Koran," Keith said graciously before looking at his team.

"Well, I guess you are really going to do this," Allura said.

He nodded.

She looked at the rest of the men, "And you are all alright with this?"

Hunk nodded, "Yes, I feel better knowing I will be there to back Keith up if he needs me."

"If this is where Keith thinks I need to be, then I'll stay," Lance added.

"Well," Allura looked up at her fiancé.  "I guess it's all set then."

Keith nodded slowly, "If you don't approve of how I've handle this, please bring them up now."

"No, it appears you have tied up all the loose ends and have planned this out well.  I have no complaints."

"Then if no one else has anything to say, I guess you're dismissed for dinner."

All talking at once, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge left the room.  Koran followed them silently, leaving Keith and Allura alone.

"I wish you would have discussed this with me before you made all these plans," she admitted tersely.

"I wanted to, Allura, but you've been angry with me and I wasn't too sure how to approach you about this."

"You can always talk to me, Keith."

"What would you like me to do differently?"

"Not go."

He sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, "I can't."

Allura looked down at her hands, clasped in the skirt of her gown, "I'm scared, Keith."

"I'll be fine."

"But what if…"

"Allura, don't."  He knelt in front of her and took her hands.  "This could be it, baby, we could be done with him forever.  Imagine what our lives could be without him."

  
"Will you kill him?"  She whispered.

"Only if I have to.  I plan on turning him over to the Garrison to be put away for a long, long time far away from here."

She leaned over and kissed him gently on the forehead, "I have some work to do, I'll see you at dinner."

Keith watched her leave the room feeling helpless and a little lost.

*******************************************************************************

Keith groaned as he stretched his arms over his head.  He was sitting at the desk in his bedroom, dressed for bed, and writing letters.  Placing the last envelope in a small metal box, he pushed the lid down and heard the click of the lock.  The only key had been given to Lance with instructions that if anything happened to him the next day, Lance was to open the box.  It contained letters to his loved ones, explaining why he had done what he had and why it had been important.  The most difficult had been the one to Allura.  He had started and thrown away at least eight letters before finally allowing himself to open up completely and pour his heart out.  It had been the most intense, difficult letter he had ever written and it had left him exhausted.

Glancing at the clock beside his bed, he saw that it was only nine thirty.  He had retired to his room after dinner, claiming he needed to rest and prepare.  He had meditated and written the letters, but he was not yet tired.  Figuring the sleep would come, he prepared for bed, brushing his teeth, washing his face.  He was just pulling back the covers of his bed when there was a knock on the door.  It was a knock he had been hoping for, even expecting, but he found he was feeling nervous.

"Who is it?"

"It's me," Allura said quietly.

Crossing to open the door, Keith ran a nervous hand through his hair.  She stood on the other side of the door wearing a dark plum colored velvet robe with black lace on the lapels and where the bell cuffs met the puffed sleeves.  It made her look soft and romantic with her hair cascading past her shoulders in thick waves.

"Uh, hi," he whispered, sweeping his eyes up and down her body again.

"Hi."

"Uh, what do you need?"

"Can I come in?"

"What, oh, uh, of course," he stepped aside and let her in.

"How are you doing?"  She asked, gesturing to a guard behind her who walked in, carrying a long wooden box.  

"Fine.  You?"  He asked, watching the guard set the box on his desk and leave the room.

"Oh, I've been better.  I've been thinking about what you said earlier," Allura said, running her finger over the elaborate vine and leaf design carved in the top of the box.  "I want you to have this."

Keith crossed to stand beside her.  The box stretched over the top of the desk, at least five and a half feet long, elaborately carved with two old fashioned latches holding it shut.  "What is it?"

Allura flipped the latches open and pushed the lid up.  Lying on a bed of dark purple silk was a beautiful, deadly looking sword.  The leaf and vine design was carved into the gleaming silver blade.  The hilt was gold, ending in a medallion with Black Lion carved into it, rearing up on her legs, her head thrown back and her mouth open in a roar.  As Keith studied it, he saw more details, the black onyx stones inlaid in the sides of the hilt, the tiny interlocking A's beneath Black, the cross guard of the hilt was formed by two lion paws going in opposite directions.  It was amazing.

"It was my father's."

Keith raised his gaze to Allura's.

"It was my father's," she repeated.  "I want you to take it with you tomorrow."  
  


"Allura, I can't…"

"You can and you will.  It was a gift from the ruler of a planet he had helped.  Pick it up."

Keith slowly reached out his hand and wrapped it around the grip.  An electric jolt shot up his arm and he jumped back.

"Keith?"

He shook his head and grabbed the handle again.  The jolt shocked him, but he held on, feeling a warmth spread up his arm.  Lifting the sword from its bed of silk, Keith realized that nothing had ever fit his hand so well.  Beneath the sword was a leather sheath, the leaf and vine design again copied into the leather.

"It was the Planet Malse.  The vine and leaf pattern is part of their coat of arms, it was incorporated with Black to signify the partnership of our two planets."

"Thank you," Keith whispered, turning from her to practice a few thrusts and swings.  It felt more like an extension of his arm than a weapon.

"I truly believe you were meant to have it."

Carefully laying the sword back in its case, Keith closed the lid and locked the latches.  He turned to the woman beside him and smiled, "Thank you, Allura.  This really means a lot to me."

Allura slipped her arms around his waist and hugged him tightly, "I want you to be safe, Keith, I want you to take this sword and have my father look out for you in this battle."

Keith kissed the top of her head, tightening his arms around her, "I'll be fine, baby."

She tilted her head back to look at him, "Promise you'll come back to me."

"I promise," he breathed, capturing her lips with his.

Pushing away from him, Allura looked up at him through her lashes as her hands went to the belt of her robe, "And you always keep your promises?"

"You know I do."

"I just wanted to show you what you have waiting for you when you return," she said huskily, pulling at the belt, her robe falling to a puddle at her feet.

Keith sucked in a sharp breath, grasping the edge of his desk as his knees buckled.  "What are you doing to me?"  
  


Blushing slightly, but holding her head high, Allura put her hands on her hips, feeling the soft satin of the short, low cut black nightie beneath her hands.  "I want to make love with you."

"Allura…"

"I was thinking," she stepped forward, tracing a finger down his chest, "You are going off to face certain danger tomorrow, I want you to go with the memory of what you have to come home to."

Keith swallowed hard, his eyes skimming over the creamy white skin of her shoulders and the swell of her breasts, barely covered by black satin.  "I know what I have to come home to, Angel, and I will make sure I am back tomorrow night to enjoy it."

Standing on her toes, Allura kissed him, gently sucking on his lower lip.  She pressed her body against his, deepening the kiss as he groaned.  "Make love to me, Keith," she breathed against his mouth.

"I'm trying real hard to be a gentleman," Keith admitted, breaking contact and coming up for air.

"Maybe I don't want you to be a gentleman."

Throwing all his reservations aside, Keith tightened his arm around her waist and reached around with his other hand to punch in the code to lock the door.  After the lock clicked, he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up.  Allura wrapped her legs around his waist and her hands fisted in his hair, their mouths fused together.  

"Are you sure?"  He asked one last time as they fell onto his bed.

"Yes, please," she pleaded, tugging the t-shirt over his head.

Keith shifted so Allura was lying in the middle of his bed, her hair spilled out around her, the skirt of her nightie had slid up, exposing long expanse of smooth, white leg.  He ran his hand lightly up her leg and leaned down to kiss her, "I love you, Angel."

"I love you too," she murmured as he moved his mouth down her throat and to her shoulder.

His mouth moved slowly, tenderly over her flesh.  A gasp escaped her lips as he lowered the thin strap to expose her to him.

"You okay?"  Keith asked, worriedly.

"I'm great," she assured him.

"I'll be gentle."

"I know you will."

With gentle fingers and a hungry mouth, Keith explored every inch of her body.  He was rewarded with gasps and moans of pleasure as she quietly urged him on.  Her inexperienced hands drove him to the edge and back as she took her turn to discover his body.  Her curiosity and excitement was tempered by her naiveté and love.  When they finally joined together, they were both driven over the edge into excruciating pleasure.

Long after Allura should have been tucked into her own bed, they were cuddled together, warm and cozy beneath the maroon comforter on Keith's bed.  Allura sighed longingly as he ran his fingertips up and down her back.

Keith smiled and tightened his arm around her as she laid her head on his shoulder, "How you doing, beautiful?"  
  


"I don't ever want this night to end," she whispered, her breath tickling his neck.

"We have our whole lives together to relive this night."

"You'll be careful tomorrow?"

"You know I will."

She lifted her head and brushed the hair off his forehead, "I need you to come back to me."

"This is the only place I want to be," he said, kissing her.

Allura laid her head down on his chest, wrapping her arm tightly around him, "Sleep, Keith, I want you rested for tomorrow."

He rubbed his hand over the arm across his waist, "I have a feeling I'll sleep very well tonight."

"Well, you did have quite a workout tonight."

"You sound happy."

"I'm always happy when I'm with you."

Keith wrapped his arms around her tightly, "I was afraid you would regret this."

"I don't regret anything I do with you," Allura told him, trying to stifle a yawn.

"Go to sleep, Angel."

"I love you, Keith."

"I love you, too."

*********************************************

Allura woke the next morning to find Keith still asleep.  Propping her head up with her hand, she watched him sleep.  His face was relaxed, his mouth curved up in a slight smile.  He had one hand resting on his stomach, the other was stretched out beside him, it had been under her head.  He looked young and handsome.  Her heart raced as she watched him.

She softly traced her finger down his cheek, watching his eyelids flutter.  Her lips followed the same trail her finger had gone down, Keith responded with a low moan.

"Good morning," she whispered into his ear.

"No, it's not morning yet," he murmured.

  
"Yes, unfortunately, it is."

Keith's eyes slowly opened and he was greeted by the sight of a beautifully rumpled Princess.  "Good morning."

"Hi."

He glanced at the clock and groaned.

"You can still back out," she whispered, laying her head on his shoulder.

"No, I gave my word."

"We could stay here forever," Allura continued, drawing circles on his chest with her fingertips.  "I'm perfectly happy here with you."

"Nanny would notice you missing."

"Screw Nanny."

"Allura!"

"Don't go, Keith."

"I'll be back for dinner tonight."

With a groan, she turned and buried her face in his chest, mumbling something he couldn't understand.

Keith pushed her hair behind her ear, "What was that?"

"I can't believe we did it."

"Are…are you sorry we did?"  He asked nervously.

"Not at all, I just can't believe it," she averted her gaze.  "I was just wondering how, uh, how it…"

"You were amazing," Keith whispered, kissing the top of her head.

"I was nervous."

"I couldn't tell."

"Was it…was it enough to entice you to come back in one piece tonight?"

"And then some," he ran his fingers up and down her arm.  "You know you didn't have to come to me last night, I was willing to wait until you were ready."

"I was ready."

Keith sighed deeply and reached over to pick up his communicator when it beeped, "Whitaker."

"Hey, Cap, the ship is going to leave in an hour," Hunk said.  "And Nanny is down here worrying that you won't get anything to eat, so you may want to hurry."

"Thanks, Hunk."

"Is your communicator not working right?"

Keith smirked, "No, Hunk, its fine.  I just didn't feel like opening the visuals."  
  


"Ah, gotcha."

"I'll be down in twenty minutes."

"Alright, see you then."

Keith snapped the communicator shut and slid it back onto his bedside table.  "Come on, Angel," he nudged Allura.  "We have to get moving."

She sat up and stretched, surprising Keith with her lack of modesty.  Slipping out of the bed, Allura snatched up her fallen robe and wrapped it around her before turning back to him, "I'll see you downstairs."

"Uh, yeah," he mumbled watching the sway of her hips as she swept from the room.  A huge grin split his face as he remembered back on the night before.  If that was what he had to look forward to for the rest of his life, everything was just going to be fine.  Coming to Arus was definitely the best decision he had ever made.


	46. A Long Day

Hi all!  
  
Thanks for the great reviews!  

A quick note in response to a couple of the reviews:

1. Koran and Nanny didn't try to stop Allura from going to Keith or giving him her father's sword because they didn't know she was doing it.

2. Dee ~ I had written in a previous author's note that I was not going to tie in this story with my previous story "Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder".  You can either consider that a stand alone story or pretend you have never read it :-)

Thank you all!  
  


Enjoy,

Failte

********************************************************************

Allura stood nervously beside the tarmac, hopping from one foot to the other.  

  
"You okay?"  Lance whispered.

"No," she whispered back.  "Where is he?  Does he need help?"

"No, he said he would be right out."

"Princess."  Koran appeared at her side.

"Yes?"

"Colonel Exhel just contacted us, the fighters are in place around Arus."

"Thank you, Koran."  She felt rather than saw him tense beside her.  Allura followed his line of vision to see Keith walking out onto the tarmac carrying the case containing her father's sword.  He handed it to a guard to load onto the ship he and Hunk would be taking. 

"I gave it to him," Allura said before Koran could speak.  "It was mine to give and I wanted him to have it."

"Yes, your highness," he replied stiffly.

"It was the right thing to do, Koran."

He nodded.

Allura watched as Keith spoke with Hunk before looking up and meeting her eyes, smiling and winking at her.  She felt her heart race and the heat rising to her face.  It was like they shared a very special secret.  

Keith clapped Hunk on the shoulder and then crossed to where Allura stood with Koran, Lance, and Pidge.  
  


"Captain," Koran shook his hand.  "Good luck."

"Thank you, Koran."

"You don't need luck, man," Lance said.  "You're going to kick Lotor's ass."

Koran cleared his throat and glared at the Lieutenant.

"Sorry, I mean, you'll do well.  We'll see you in a few hours."

"Thanks Lance.  Just do me a favor and make sure nothing happens to Allura while I'm gone."  Keith saluted.

Lance returned the salute half-heartedly, "No problem.  Does that mean I get to marry her if something happens to you?"

Allura gasped.

Keith snorted, "No, keep your hands to yourself, Lieutenant."

"Good luck, Cap," Pidge said, saluting.

"Thanks Pidge.  I need you to keep Lance in line while I'm gone."

"Can I use tasers?"

"If necessary."

Lance smacked Pidge upside the head.

Keith stepped in front of Allura and smiled.

"Come on," Lance whispered, grabbing Pidge's arm and signaling to Koran to follow them.

"Remember your promise to me," she said.

"I will, always."  
  


"Just be careful."

  
"I will."

Ignoring the guards who stood on the tarmac, Allura threw her arms around Keith's neck and hugged him tightly.  "I need you to promise something else to me."

"Hm?"  He asked, burying his face in her hair.

"If Lotor plays dirty, just leave.  It is more important that you come home alive, not that you prove some silly point to Lotor."

"I will be home tonight."

"I'll be waiting."

Keith pulled back and looked down at her, "I'll try not to keep you waiting too long."  
  


"I'd appreciate that."

Hunk cleared his throat.

"I have to go," Keith whispered.

Allura stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his, "Good luck, honey."

"Thanks, babe."  He squeezed her hand quickly before following Hunk to the small ship they were taking to Dewhur.

It was a three hour flight to Planet Dewhur, a relatively uninhabited planet run wild with animals.  It was nearby and had no Doom loyalists, which had appealed to Keith.  He had been there three times in the past on exploratory missions and had come away feeling good about the planet, even thinking about taking Allura there camping someday.

"You alright, Cap?"  Hunk asked as they took off.

"Yeah," Keith mumbled, watching Allura's tiny figure disappear as they ascended. 

"She'll be fine, Keith, Romelle and Sven will be there within an hour."

"Yeah, Romelle will be able to get her mind off things, maybe talk about the weddings."

Hunk chuckled, "I can't believe you are really getting married."

Keith turned to him, "Why?"

"I don't know.  I guess it just seems a little surreal that you and the Princess are getting married.  You're going to be staying on Arus."

"Any idea what you want to do when your time is up here?"

The big man shrugged, "No idea.  I'll figure that out when the time comes."

"Yeah, who knows what might happen tomorrow, I mean, I never thought I would be marrying Allura when we first landed on Arus."

"Oh, come on, Keith, you were smitten the first time you laid eyes on her."

"_Smitten_?  I was never smitten."

"Yes you were."

"No," Keith shook his head.  "Maybe Lance was."

"No, Lance flirted harmlessly with her, but there was something special between the two of you from the moment you met."

Keith looked out the window, mulling over what Hunk had said.  To think about it now, he couldn't imagine life without her or even what it was like before he had met her.  Maybe they had been meant to be together.  Maybe it had been decided by something bigger than the two of them long before they had met.  Before he had come to Arus, he had never believed in magic, now it seemed to be touching every aspect of his life.

"Cap?"

"Am I stupid Hunk?"

"What?  No!  Of course not."

Keith laughed, "I'm not asking as your Commander, but as your friend.  Am I stupid to be doing this?"

"Honestly?"

"Honestly."

"Uh, well," Hunk shifted uncomfortably.  "Yeah, you are.  But I know that you really feel this is something you need to do."

"Thank you for coming, Hunk."

"I'm glad I was able to, Keith.  I'd follow you into any battle, we all would."

Keith smiled at his friend, "That really means a lot to me, man, thank you."

*********************************************************************

Allura paced Castle Control.  Keith had left an hour earlier and she found it impossible to sit still.  Nanny had tried to make her eat something, but Allura insisted she wasn't hungry.  Lance had tried to get her up in Blue, thinking flying would get her mind off things, she had waved him away.  Everyone else had just decided to let her do her thing.  When she was ready to talk, she would.  Hopefully having Romelle around would help her get through the day.

"Your highness?"

"What?"  Allura turned sharply to the guard who approached her.

"Uh, there…there is a, uh, a ship approaching, asking for permission to land," he sputtered nervously.

She swept over to the main console and opened a line of communication, "You have entered Arusian airspace, state your name and business."

"Allura," Sven replied.  "It's me and Romelle and ve are here to pester you vhile your man is off playing hero."

"And to plan weddings!"  Romelle shouted in the background.

Allura grinned, "Bring it in on the main landing strip."

"Allura!"  Romelle raced across the tarmac after they landed and hugged her cousin.

"I am so glad you're here," Allura confided.

Romelle couldn't help but notice how tightly Allura hugged her, "It'll be alright."

"I'm going out of my mind."

"He may be stubborn and a bit thick-headed, but Keit knows vhat he is doing," Sven said.

Allura hugged him, "I'm really glad you guys could come."  
  


"Yeah, apparently we just aren't exciting anymore," Lance said, walking out onto the tarmac.

"Vell, you do get annoying after avhile," Sven teased shaking the hand Lance offered.

Romelle slipped her arm through Allura's and steered her back towards the castle.  "I think I have picked out my wedding dress."

Allura smiled, happy for the distraction.  "Tell me about it."

************************************************************

Hunk brought the ship in for a smooth landing on the edge of the clearing where they were to meet Lotor.  Keith stood and attached King Alfor's sword to his belt.  He felt more confident and stronger as soon as the weight of the weapon fell against his leg.  

"You ready Cap?"  Hunk asked.

  
"As ready as I'll ever be."

"No sign of Lotor," Hunk muttered, scanning the onboard computer.

Keith rolled his eyes, "He always liked making an entrance."

"What do you want to do?"

"Let's head out and look around."

Hunk nodded and followed his Captain down the steps and onto the soft, mossy ground of Planet Dewhur.  It was a beautiful, overgrown planet.  The natives lived a simple, honest existence, farming on the other side of the planet where the woods weren't so thick.  Keith had spoken with their leader and had procured permission to meet with Lotor here as long as they didn't harm any of the wildlife.

"This place is beautiful," Hunk breathed.

"I thought you had been here before, Hunk."

"I have, it's just been a long time."

"It is amazing," Keith sighed, his hands on his hips, taking in his surroundings.  "I just wish we were here under better circumstances."

They both looked up at the sound of an approaching ship to see a Doom transport descending.  It landed beside the Arusian transport and the two men watched as a short gangplank lowered.  A young man dressed in a tattered cloak hurried down and stepped to the side, his head down and his hands at his sides.  A moment later, Lotor appeared in the doorway, he looked around and narrowed his eyes at Keith.  Sweeping down the gangplank, his cloak billowing around him, Lotor approached Keith, followed by the young boy.

"Captain."

"Lotor."

"I'm surprised you showed up," the Drule smirked.

  
"I'm not surprised you're late," Keith retorted.

Lotor unhooked his cloak from beneath his chin and handed it to the boy, "Shall we begin?"

"Who is that?"  Keith asked, nodding his head toward the boy.

"He is no one of consequence."

"You were to come alone."

Lotor raised an eyebrow, "As I said, he is no one of consequence."

"Send him back to your ship."

"You have no right to order me, Captain, I am not one of your men."

"If you do not follow the rules we laid down, I will not fight you."

"So you are afraid."

  
"I'm not afraid, but I am not stupid either."

With a smug smile, Lotor nodded to the boy.

Keith and Hunk watched as the boy bowed his head and shuffled back to the ship.

"Shall we begin?"  Lotor asked, widening his stance.

"I thought you'd never ask," Keith said as Hunk stepped out of the way.

********************************************************************

The day passed at an excruciatingly slow pace.  Allura had spent time with Romelle, tossing around ideas for the weddings and dresses, she had also met Koran to have their daily meeting, but all day her mind was elsewhere.

Romelle found Allura standing in the Observation Deck, watching the sky.  "Allura?"

"Why haven't we heard anything?"

"I don't know.  Have you tried contacting him?"

"There was no answer."

Romelle wrapped her arm around the Princess' shoulders, "This could be good.  This could mean that Keith has handed him over to the Garrison and is now wading through paperwork."

"He would have contacted me."

"Hello ladies," Lance meandered into the room, his hands in his pockets.

"Lance, have you heard anything?"  Allura asked eagerly.

He shook his head, "No, Allura, I'm sorry."

"Can you try to contact them again?"

"We can, if you want."

"Yes," she gathered her skirt in her hands.  "Let's try Hunk's communicator see if he answers."

Lance pursed his lips and followed the Princess out of the room.  He was feeling uneasy about the lack of communication with their Commander.  Keith had been gone for five hours now.  If they factored in his travel time, it had taken three hours to arrive on Dewhur, which left two hours to fight Lotor.  They had expected to hear from him by now.

"Collier."  Lance answered his communicator as they neared Castle Control.

"Lieutenant, we need you in Castle Control," Private Kalpan replied.

"On our way, what's up?"

"We have an incoming message from Lt. Landers, sir."

"We'll be right there."  Lance snapped the communicator shut and broke into a jog, "Come on, Allura, Hunk's on the line."

She broke into a run after him and they reached Castle Control in record time.  Hunk's image was interrupted by static as they approached the monitor in the main console.

  
"Hunk where are you?"  Allura asked.

"We're, uh, we're about two and half hours out," he sounded shaken up and looked a little pale.

"You're picture's bad, Hunk," Lance said, turning various knobs.  "Can you tune in any better on your end?"

The picture flickered and Hunk's voice broke up.  "Sorry, Lance…interference…it'll clear up as we get closer…I'll try back…"

"Hunk!  How's Keith?"  Allura shouted.

"Not good…Dr. Gorma standing by…"

Lance swore, "Call us when you get closer!"

"Will do!"  Hunk shouted just as the picture went black.

"Oh no," the Princess whispered.

Lance looked up at her, "I'm sure he'll be fine.  I bet Lotor is in much worse shape."

"We don't know that," she said, her voice a little shrill.  "If he had defeated Lotor, he would have turned him over to the Garrison."

"Maybe they did, but Hunk couldn't tell us."

She threw her hands in the air, "Oh why did he do this?"

"Come on," Lance took her arm.  "Let's go for a walk."

"I don't want to…"

He tightened his grip on her and steered her away from the console and toward the door that led outside.  "I want to talk, Allura."

"What?"  She asked haughtily as they walked out into the late afternoon sun.

"Do you really understand why Keith did this?"

She sighed, "Because he wanted to prove to Lotor that he was stronger and better."

"No," Lance stopped and ran his hand through his hair, carefully planning what to say next.  "Okay, so you might not fully understand.  Keith doesn't have anything to prove to Lotor and he knows that.  He doesn't have anything to prove to anyone. This is about doing what's right."

"How is going into a fight that will most likely turn dirty and very likely…hurt him, doing the right thing?"

"He wants Lotor to leave you alone, and Arus.  He wants you safe, he wants to someday have a family with you and he wants them safe.  That isn't possible if Lotor is still a threat.  He is doing what he thinks is right and that is what Keith does, you know that."

  
Allura led the way as they walked through her garden, "I know.  We almost didn't get together because he thought it wasn't right.  We almost didn't…"  She broke off when she realized that she was about to tell Lance about the night before. 

"You almost didn't what?"  He asked.

Blushing, she shook her head, "I sometimes think his need to do the right thing overshadows everything else."

"I have never experienced what you and Keith have," Lance admitted quietly.  "I really hope to someday and I hope that when it does happen, I can be the kind of man Keith is and fight for her."

"But he doesn't _have_ to fight for me."

"You have to understand, Allura, he wants to, he _has_ to.  He's not just fighting for you, he's fighting for both of you, for the future you'll have together.  He is hoping this will be the end of Doom's threat."

"But he's coming home, injured, and there is no word of Lotor being turned over to the Garrison, so it was pointless," her voice cracked.

  
"We don't know what happened, Allura, and no matter what, it wasn't pointless."

"I just think it would be better if we had gone into this fight together."

Lance nodded slowly, "I understand how you feel, but, well, I guess it's a guy thing.  He wants Lotor to know that if he wants you, he has to go through Keith."

The Princess wiped the back of her hand over her cheek and sighed, "I just want Lotor to leave us alone."

"Maybe that will happen now."  
  


"I hope so."

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and turned her back toward the castle, "Come on.  We have to let Dr. Gorma know Keith's coming."

Allura nodded, "I wish I knew how he was doing."

"He'll be fine.  He's a strong, stubborn S.O.B."

*****************************************************************

Just over two hours later, Lance, Pidge, Koran, Sven, and Romelle watched as Allura paced the floor of Castle Control.  She was wringing her hands and muttering under her breath.

"Princess," Koran stepped forward.

"Don't talk to me right now," she snapped.

Lance exchanged a worried glance with Sven.  He knew she was upset, but this was ridiculous.  After they had notified Dr. Gorma, she had gone to her study and locked herself in there alone, coming out ten minutes ago to start pacing Castle Control and waiting for word from Hunk.

The tone sounded, alerting them to the arrival of a ship into Arusian airspace.  Lance beat Allura to the console and opened up a line of communication.  
  
"You're entering Arusian airspace, state your name and business."

"It's us, Lance," Hunk responded tiredly.

"Bring it in on the main landing strip, Dr. Gorma will be waiting," Lance gestured to Koran to go get the doctor.  "I will clear the Garrison fighters escorting you, just get your ship in."

Allura hurried to the door and rushed through as soon as it opened.  It seemed to take forever as she watched the ship come in for a slow, clean landing.  She made to rush forward but was stopped when Sven put a hand on her arm.

"Vait, Allura, let dem get Keit off de ship first," he said.

"But I…"  
  


"He's right, Princess," Koran added.

Romelle stood beside Allura and slid her arm into her cousin's and watched as Lance hurried out with Dr. Gorma and a nurse pushing a gurney.  Hunk came out first and spoke to Dr. Gorma and Lance.  He looked pale and tired.  There was a line of dried blood from a cut on his chin and a bruise on his cheek.

Dr. Gorma nodded and motioned for the nurse to bring the gurney closer.  Hunk waited outside while Lance and Dr. Gorma boarded the ship.

"Hunk!"

He looked up when Allura called to him.  With a sigh he jogged over, "He's beat up, Allura, I, uh, I don't really know what happened."

"What do you mean you don't know?  You were supposed to be backing him up!  What happened?"  Her voice rose.

"They were in the midst of fighting and it looked like Keith was going to take Lotor down when there was a noise, like an animal, and Keith asked me to go check it out.  I…I followed the noise and I was knocked into a tree by something," he indicated the cut and bruise on his face.  "I heard a scream, Lotor, and I went to see what was going on, but I got turned around.  By the time I found them, Keith was knocked out on the ground and Lotor was gone."

"You were supposed to be there!"  She shouted.

Romelle laid a hand on Allura's arm, "What was it?  What knocked you into the tree?"

He shrugged, hanging his head, "I, uh, I don't know."

Allura's attention was diverted by movement at the doorway of the ship.  Lance and Dr. Gorma were helping Keith down the steps to the gurney.  He was frightfully pale with a black eye and a swollen lip.  But what drew her attention was the blood soaked towel Dr. Gorma was holding to Keith's chest.  
  
Breaking free from Romelle's grasp, Allura ran across the tarmac.  "What happened?"

"I need to examine him," Dr. Gorma said, helping Keith settle back on the gurney.  "Then you can question him."

Allura pushed Lance out of the way and stood over Keith, taking his hand in hers, "Keith, what happened?  Are you okay?"

"Allura," Lance took her arms and pulled her back.  "Let Dr. Gorma do his thing and then we'll talk to him."

Keith shifted his glassy stare to Allura, "A lion."

"Come on," Dr. Gorma pushed the gurney toward the castle.  "Let's get him to the hospital."


	47. Unusual Explanation

Hi all!

Hmmm….so I confused some of you, huh?  Well, I was hoping to leave you all wondering what was going on…I guess it worked :-)

The end of this story is near, probably just a couple of more chapters.  I know I say this every time, but my stories really do tend to take on a life of their own.  I am really enjoying writing this story and I hate to see it end, but it would be even worse if you all got sick of it!

Enjoy!  
Failte

*****************************************************

"A lion?"  Lance repeated, his brow furrowed in confusion.  He was sitting in the small waiting room of the hospital between Pidge and Koran, watching Allura pace in front of them.  Hunk had been taken into an examination room by Nurse Helene to have his cut cleaned.

"That's what he said," Allura muttered.

"Vas it a lion dat ran into Hunk?"  Sven asked, leaning against the wall beside Romelle's seat.

"He said he doesn't know what it was that knocked him down."

"Allura, you're making me dizzy," Romelle said lightly.

The Princess sighed deeply and threw her hands in the air, "I don't know what else to do right now.  Why hasn't Dr. Gorma told us anything?"

"Because he has only been examining Keith for five minutes," Pidge replied.

Hunk shuffled out of the examining room, his face cleaned up and a small bandage on his chin.  "Any word?"

"Not yet," Lance told him.

"Was it a lion?"  Allura took Hunk's hand in hers.  "Whatever it was that knocked you over, was it a lion?"

"It…it might have been," he scratched his head.  "I didn't see it, but I felt it.  It came at me from behind, it was big and furry, but it might have been a lion."

"Are lions native to Dewhur?"  Sven asked.

Pidge shook his head, "No they're not.  But it is possible that they were transported there thirty years ago when various animals were moved off of Planet Nahsol in order to make room for further development."

Lance stared at the Green pilot, his mouth hanging open.  "How do you know that?"  
  


"Sometimes it's helpful to read something without pictures, Lance," Pidge quipped.

Lance scowled as Sven laughed.

"How could you not have seen it?"  Allura asked Hunk.

"It came at me from behind," he repeated.  "It knocked me into a tree and left me feeling dizzy for a moment.  When I got up, I was all turned around and I couldn't remember which way I had come.  It took me about fifteen minutes to find Keith and by then he was on the ground, bleeding from a wound on his chest and Lotor was gone."

"Do you think Lotor brought the lion?"  Romelle asked.

"It's possible, but he has never had anything to do with animals before."  Lance said.

"Just Haggar's cat," Pidge added.

"What if it was Haggar's cat," Lance began.  "Think about it.  We know she has powerful magic, maybe she was able to turn Coba into a lion."

Koran rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "It's certainly a possibility."

"Maybe we should call in Kadmus," Allura said, clasping her hands in front of her.  "If it was Coba, this could be more dangerous than we thought."

"Let's wait and see what Dr. Gorma has to say," Lance suggested.  "If he thinks we need to contact Kadmus, then we will."

"I tink ve should vait and see vhat Keit says," Sven spoke up.

"Oh why did he have to do this?"  Allura cried.  "We knew Lotor would fight dirty."  She stopped pacing and turned to face the door of the examination room as it opened and Dr. Gorma walked out.  "How is he?"

"The Captain is beat up," he began, walking into the waiting area.  "He has bumps and bruises brought on by fighting, three stitches above his left eye.  The wound on his chest is what worries me the most.  It looked much worse than it was, he lost quite a bit of blood so he is weak."

"What is the wound on his chest?"  Allura asked nervously.

"He said he received it when a lion knocked him to the ground, but the wound doesn't seem to match what one would expect to get from a lion attack."

Lance stood, "What do you mean?"

"It's like a scratch, not too deep, but deep enough to bleed a lot.  But the scratch doesn't look like it was made by a claw."

"What?"  Allura stepped closer to the doctor.  "What does that mean?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure," Dr. Gorma admitted.

"Should ve call in Kadmus?"  Sven asked.

"I asked the Captain that, but he said that wasn't necessary."

"Can we speak to him?"  Allura asked.

"You may for a few moments, but he is worn out, so don't push him."

Allura looked at Lance, he nodded.  Together, the two of them quietly entered the Captain's hospital room.

"Hey," Allura sat gently on the edge of Keith's bed and took his hand in hers.  "How're you feeling?"

"Like I was run over by Black," he murmured.

"Yeah, you look like hell man," Lance grinned.

"Thanks, bud, you know how to make a guy feel special."

"Do you want to tell us what happened?"  She asked carefully.

Keith dragged his tongue over his dry lips, "Well, I was fighting Lotor, he seemed to be fighting a fair fight, he is actually quite good at hand-to-hand."  
  


"Too bad he's an evil asshole," Lance mumbled.

Allura glared at him before turning back to Keith, "Go on, honey, what happened?"

"I flipped him and he ended up on his back.  When he, uh, when he got up, he pulled his sword, so I pulled mine.  I deflected a couple of blows from him when I heard a noise, like someone or something in the woods behind us, so I told Hunk to check it out.  I raised the sword to strike and the next thing I knew, this huge lion knocked me down and pinned me with a paw to my chest.  I couldn't move.  It, uh, it leapt off me and went after Lotor.  I heard him scream, then there was a flash and he was gone."

"Gone?"  Allura asked confused.

"Lotor had brought a boy with him, he said he was no one of consequence, but I think it was Haggar in disguise.  I just had this feeling."

"Do you think they brought the lion with them?"  Lance asked.

Keith shook his head slowly, "If they had, why would it attack Lotor?"  
  


"Maybe it wasn't attacking him, maybe it was rescuing him from you."

"I don't think so, Lance."

"What do you mean?"

"It's just a feeling I have."

Lance raised his eyebrow, Keith's feelings were never wrong.  "What do you mean?"

Keith yawned, "I'll tell you about it later."

Allura stood, "You rest, honey, I'll talk to you later."

He tightened his grip on her hand, "I want to talk to you alone."

She looked up at Lance.

"I can't take a hint," Lance said dramatically.  "Let me know if you need anything, Cap."

"Thanks Lance."

When the door closed behind him, Allura sat down on the bed again, cradling Keith's hand in both of hers, "What is it?"

"I, uh, I don't really know how to tell you this, to explain it," he began.

"What?"

"Lotor didn't bring the lion."

"How do you know?"

"I just do.  It…it knocked me down and pinned me to the ground with its paws on my chest, but I wasn't scared.  I mean, it was a huge lion, I would say nearly a thousand pounds and almost as tall as me when it was on all fours.  It…it pinned me down and brought its face down to mine, we were nose to nose and I thought it was going to kill me.  It was weird."

Allura unconsciously tightened her grip on his hand.

"I was lying there, staring up at its big black eyes," Keith continued.  "And I suddenly felt safe.  Very, very safe.  I knew it wouldn't hurt me.  Then it looked up at Lotor and leapt off me.  I heard Lotor scream, my chest felt warm, there was a flash, the lion roared, and Lotor was gone.  The lion came back to me and looked at me for a moment before disappearing."

"I don't understand," she whispered.

  
"It came to protect me, Allura.  When I raised your father's sword, the hilt began to grow warm and the blade started to glow.  That was when I heard the noise in the woods and I asked Hunk to check it out."

  
"But why did it hurt you, your chest?"

"It didn't really hurt.  I felt warm and a little dizzy, but I didn't even realize I was hurt until Hunk was kneeling next to me, pressing a towel on my chest and promising to get me home."

"I just don't…what happened?"

Keith put his hands on the bed and slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position.  "Help me," he asked, pulling at the tape that secured his gauze.

"I don't want to see it," she said.

"I need you to.  Please help me."  
  


With shaking hands, Allura helped him unwind the dressing from around his chest.  Beneath the wrap was a large piece of clean white gauze.  Very slowly, Keith peeled the bandage off his chest.  

"Dr. Gorma didn't know what to make of it, do you?"

Allura's eyes widened.  The bloody claw marks she had expected to see weren't there.  Instead a red wound in the shape of entwined loops stood out against the dark hair on his chest, slightly left of center.  "It's right over your heart," she gasped.

"I know.  But it isn't claw marks.  Do you know what it is?"

Her hand moved on its own accord as she reached out to touch it, stopping as her fingers brushed the soft hair surrounding the wound, "Does it hurt?"

"No."

"I've seen it before."

"What is it?"

She licked her lips as her cheeks darkened, "It's the, uh, the Love Knot."

He raised his eyebrows, "Love Knot?"

"An old Aruisan tale my mother used to tell me.  It represented the unexpected twists and turns that come with life, but it is continuous, neverending, like the bond of two people truly in love.  Two people who belong together, forever.  She had a necklace my father's father had given her when she became betrothed to my father.  It was a way of accepting her into the family and acknowledging the love she and my father shared."

Keith watched her silently as she circled the wound with her fingertip, careful not to touch it.  She was mesmerized by it.  "Allura."

"The lion is not only the creature that forms Voltron, it is the symbol of our planet, our history.  My father's sword called the lion to your side to protect you and it marked you with…this.  You've been accepted, Keith."

"But how?"

She looked up and smiled softly at him, "They may be gone, but my parents are all around us.  I still talk to them and I swear I sometimes see them.  I don't know how they did it, but this was my father's way of giving you his blessing."

Keith mulled this over a moment before responding, "But was that really the best time to do that?"

"Maybe he could only give his blessing through the lion," Allura suggested.  "And it could only come when it was called."

He shook his head, "This is too weird."

"Did I tell you why I gave you the sword?"

"You told me it was because you felt I was meant to have it and you wanted your father to look out for me."

Swallowing hard, looking down at the blanket, unable to meet his gaze, she explained.  "I was terrified, Keith, I didn't want you to go.  I knew Lotor would fight dirty.  The night before I gave you the sword I couldn't sleep.  I did what I used to do, back before I would come looking for you when I couldn't sleep.  I sat in the chair in the corner of my room, the one that used to be in my parent's room, and I spoke to my father.  I know, it sounds crazy, but I felt him there with me.  I must have dozed off because I had a dream, I saw my father, I spoke to him.  I haven't had a dream like that in years.  I used to be able to talk to him in my dreams whenever I needed him, before you guys came, before…before I had you.  I thought it was just a dream, my memories of him helping me.  But he told me to give you his sword, he told me he would watch out for you because you were the man I love."

Keith reached up and cupped her chin, forcing her to look at him, "Do you really believe this?"

"What else can it be?"  She asked, her voice shaking.  "A lion attack doesn't usually leave a scar like that."

"A scar?  You think it's permanent?"

  
"I didn't know you were so vain," Allura teased lightly.

"I'm not."

"You're marked, babe," she leaned over and kissed him gently.  "You're mine."

"I was yours before I was marked," he whispered.

  
She smiled mischievously, "You aren't very observant, are you?"

"What do you mean?"

Sweeping her hair aside, she turned to show him the birthmark just below her hairline on the back of her neck.  

With trembling fingers, Keith reached up and touched the dark pink mark.  It was an exact copy of the Love Knot he had on his chest.

Allura turned back to him, "When I was born I was almost completely bald so it stood out more.  My mother used to tell me that it would someday lead me to the one I was meant to be with.  I didn't know what she meant, until now."

He smiled softly and cupped her cheek with his hand, "I guess no one can say we don't belong together now."

_((  "Was it permanent?"  Becca asked.  
  
_

_Allura nudged Keith with her elbow and winked at him.  Shrugging, he unbuttoned his shirt halfway and pulled it to the side, showing them the stark, white scar that showed clearly against his tanned skin and dark chest hair.  It was clearly in the shape of entwined robes._

_Becca leaned forward in her chair to examine it closer, it was defiantly scar tissue._

_"Alright," Pidge took his wife by the shoulder and pulled her back.  "Are you done ogling Keith?"_

_"I'm not ogling, I'm examining.  I would have seen it eventually, I will be taking over for Dr. Gorma very soon."_

_"I don't want you to step in as castle physician if it means you're checking Keith out."_

_She rolled her eyes, "I was not **checking Keith out**.  It was strictly clinical."_

_Pidge snorted._

_Becca kissed his cheek and whispered, "I promise to only ogle you."_

_Keith chuckled as he buttoned his shirt back up, "I couldn't believe what Allura told me.  Even after everything we'd gone through, I still had trouble believing in magic."_

_"What did you do?"  Paton asked._

_"We called in Kadmus and asked him to examine Keith," Allura told her.  "He told us that the wound did have magical roots and it marked Keith as my soul mate."_

_"That is so romantic," Becca sighed._

_"What happened to Lotor?"  Darcy asked._

_Keith smiled smugly, "He had been pretty roughed up even before the lion attacked…}}_

It was two days before they received word from Lotor.  Keith was up and about, his chest was a little tender, but there was really no pain, so he refused to stay on bed rest.  His bruises were fading and considering everything that had happened, he was in good spirits.  It was also obvious to everyone in the castle that something had happened between him and the Princess.  Keith and Allura were even closer than they had been before.  Their behavior wasn't something the others could pin down, but the couple seemed to have a deeper connection to each other.

"Looking good, gang," Keith said as the team returned to Castle Control after morning practice.  "Lance you're on duty, everyone else you're dismissed."

Allura crossed to him, "What are you going to do now?"

"I have some reports to see to so I can have the evening off," he told her.

"Good, we're having a special dinner for Sven and Romelle tonight, they're leaving first thing tomorrow morning."

"Oh, that's right," Keith murmured distractedly.

Allura laid her hand on his arm, "What is it?"

"What?  Oh, nothing, I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

He shrugged, "Just wondering why we haven't heard from Lotor yet."

"Do we know how badly he was injured?"  
  


"We haven't heard anything."

"Hm," Allura sighed thoughtfully.  "Do you think he's too badly injured to contact us?"

"I don't know, I would think that someone would have contacted us.  We would have heard by now if he had been seriously or fatally injured."

She gently squeezed his arm, "Should we contact Doom?"

"No," he shook his head.  "We're not going to go looking for trouble."

"Alright, I'm going to go change and then go get some work done.  Let me know if you hear anything."

"I will," he promised, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Allura walked into her study thirty minutes later dressed in a casual dress and her hair pulled back into a simple ponytail.  The day was overcast and promised to be cool and probably rainy.  There was a stack of correspondence on her desk she had to attend to as well as having to meet with Nanny to do some wedding planning and set up a meeting with Koran and some of the town elders.  Letting out a long breath, she crossed to her desk and sat in the high backed chair.  She was finding it hard to get into the mood for work.  Picking up and then setting down the first envelope in front of her, Allura realized that she just wanted to play hooky.  She wanted to sneak off somewhere with Keith and goof off.  Find a hidden corner and snuggle.  Or do even more.  She blushed at the direction in which her thoughts were going.  

"No," she whispered to herself.  "I have responsibilities.  I have to get my work done.  Maybe tonight we can do something."  After everyone has gone to bed, she added in thought.

Allura completed her correspondence and after a few hours decided she deserved a break.  And so did Keith.  Checking her watch, she realized that it was almost time for lunch, so maybe she could interrupt his work for a pre-meal make out session.

"Come in," he called out rather tensely when she knocked.

"Hey there, handsome," Allura murmured huskily as she entered the room.

Keith looked up from his desk and couldn't help but smile as she leaned back against the closed door and gave him a seductive smile.  "What can I do for you, Princess?"  
  


"Come here and I'll tell you."

Glancing down at his desk, Keith made a split second decision as to which was more appealing and pushed his chair back.  He casually walked over to where she stood and looked down at her, "Yes, Milady?"

"Well, I was thinking," she traced her finger down his chest.  "I finished most of my work and since we would both have to break soon for lunch, I would come and see if you wanted an early snack."

He leaned down, stopping a mere breath from her lips, "What do you have to offer?"

Too impatient to play this game anymore, Allura slid her arms around his neck and closed the gap between them, pressing her lips to his.  Keith wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her body hard against his.  Breaking the kiss to come up for air, Allura let her head fall back against the door as Keith moved his mouth across her cheek to her ear, whispering sweet promises before sliding his mouth over her throat.

"Or we could just blow off lunch," Allura gasped as his hands moved down to grasp her hips.

He brought his mouth back up to her ear and whispered teasingly, "This is all I'm hungry for."

With a quiet moan, Allura leaned against him, allowing her fiancé to lead them across the room.  They fell onto the couch, Allura landing on top of him, their mouths meeting, their tongues dancing together as their hands roamed over each other.

"Errr," Keith groaned as his communicator sounded.

  
"I am going to throw that out the window," Allura whined as her head fell against his shoulder.

Keith sat up and unclipped his communicator from his belt as Allura sat up beside him, straightening her dress.

"Whitaker."

"Hey, Cap," Lance greeted him solemnly.  "We've got an incoming message for you."

"From who?"  Keith asked unnecessarily.

"Doom."

"I'll be right there."  Keith snapped the communicator shut and turned to Allura, "Here's our answer, I guess."

With a nod, she took the hand he offered and stood.  "Let's get this over with."  
  


Lance stood beside the videophone monitor in Castle Control when they arrived.  "He will only talk to you," he informed Keith.

With a nod, Keith turned to the monitor.  Lotor glared back.  His arm was wrapped tightly and in a sling, his face was bruised and beaten.  The Drule looked miserable.

"Lotor."

"Captain."

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?"  
  


"I want a rematch, Captain."

Keith raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

"What you did was inexcusable, Captain.  We had agreed that this would be you and me, man to man."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You brought a lion!"  Lotor shouted.  "You brought that lion to attack me!"

"I did not, I was just as surprised as you were."

"Like hell you were!"  
  


"Look, Lotor, I know you had brought Haggar with you but I did not bring anything or anyone other than Hunk.  I don't know for sure where the lion came from."

"That's a lie!"  Lotor rose to his feet.  "You are a disgrace!  To think that you have the gall to trick the Princess into accepting your proposal of marriage…"

"I didn't trick anyone, Lotor."

"But it doesn't make sense!  Why would she pick a worthless pilot over the wealthy king of his own planet?"  
  


"Love," Allure interjected.

Lotor shifted his gaze and noticed Allura for the first time, "Princess, this is between the Captain and myself."

"No, Lotor, it is not.  Keith did not trick me.  I agreed to marry him because I love him.  I will never, **never**, love you.  No matter how many times you attack us, no matter how many times you threaten us, I would sooner die than marry you."

Keith squeezed her hand, "Look, Lotor, I am not going to duel you again.  Our fight was disrupted by the lion and I choose to take that as sign.  You will never get to Allura as long as I am around.  The best thing you can do now is to turn yourself in to the Garrison and accept responsibility for your actions."

Lotor sneered at the two of them, "This is not over."  With the flick of his wrist, he closed the connection.

Allura groaned and laid her forehead on Keith's shoulder.

He brought his hand up to the back of her head, gently massaging.  "It's alright, Allura," he whispered.  "He won't get to you.  We've defeated him before and we'll do it again."


	48. Being Princess Is Hard Work

Keith let out a long breath as he left Castle Control, having just finished his afternoon duty, and headed toward his study to go over some Garrison reports.  Lotor had been true to his word.  A week after their ill-fated duel, the Doomian ruler had attacked.  While Voltron fought the hideous robeast, Doom fighters swooped in to attack Alforia.  Months of hard work were reversed in a matter of moments.  By the time the robeast had been defeated and the Lions made their way to the capital city most of the school had been destroyed, half of the stores were reduced to piles of smoldering rocks, and fallen trees and debris littered the roadways.  Luckily most of the people had returned to the caves at the sound of the alert sirens the Force had installed the month before.  But there had been some unfortunate casualties.  Twenty townsfolk had endured injures of varying degrees and three others had fallen.

It had been the three deaths that had truly knocked Allura down.  The towns could be rebuilt and the injuries healed, but you couldn't replace lives.  She saw the Arusian people as her personal responsibility and they were definitely not a responsibility she took lightly.

The rebuilding had started the day after the deceased had been buried.  Over two months had passed and they were making good headway.  But Keith was really worried about Allura.  She was working long days on the building plans and meetings with town elders, townsfolk, and neighboring monarchs.  Not to mention the wedding plans.  She was helping Romelle with hers and she was meeting with Nanny about their wedding.  Nanny was insisting upon a traditional ceremony that would include everything from an elaborate meal to live music to a guest list that had reached nearly five hundred the last time Keith had checked.

He stopped outside his study, noticing the door to Allura's study was closed.  Hoping that meant she had taken a break, he punched in the code to unlock and open his door.  At the sound of the deep, chest-rattling cough Allura had developed a few days earlier, Keith sighed deeply and turned to knock on her door.

"Who is it?"  She called out hoarsely.

"It's me."

"Come in."

Keith slid open the door and pursed his lips in annoyance at what he saw.  Allura was sitting behind her desk, her pale face lit by the computer screen she was studying.  A pile of correspondence lay unopened beside her that was matched by the pile of used tissues beside it.

"Have you gone to see Dr. Gorma?"  
  


Allura tore her gaze from the screen in front of her and looked at him with tired eyes, "What do you need, Keith?"

He fell into the seat in front of her desk, "I need you to be in good health, you're wearing yourself out."  
  


"I already have Nanny to fuss over me, I don't need you to too," she muttered, wiping her nose with a tissue.

"Allura, you're spreading yourself too thin and that isn't good for anyone.  You need to be in good form to fight."

She sat back in her chair and studied him, "So you're here because you think I can't handle flying?"

"Well, that and because I really don't want to kiss you when your nose is running and you're hacking up a lung."

"I'm not _hacking up a lung_.  I have the sniffles."  
  


Keith snorted.

"Leave me alone," she mumbled.

"Honey, take a break.  Go see Dr. Gorma and see if he has something you can take."

"I have so much I need to do…"

"Stop it.  You have been doing an amazing job, take the rest of the evening off.  Koran and I will take care of things so you can rest."

She tiredly rubbed her eyes, "I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I have to review and sign off on these requests for new parts and building materials."  
  


"Koran can read them and give you a quick overview in the morning, they can't be sent until then anyway."

Allura glared at him, annoyed, "I have to write back to King Kasdar, he wants to work on an import/export agreement with us.  If we can work it out, then we would be able to set up the roadways and cars that you wanted to bring to Arus."  
  


"He will understand if you can't get to it right away, a lot has been happening."

"Romelle is going to call me later."

"I'll talk to her."

She crossed her arms on her desk and rested her head on them, "Nanny wants to talk about the flowers for the wedding."

Keith stood and went to stand behind her.  He ran his hand over her hair, "That can wait."

"I don't want it to be this big," she muttered.  "It seems wrong to have a big, elaborate wedding when the war is still going on and people have died."

He crouched beside her, his hand on her back, "Don't worry about it now, sweetheart.  You need to rest."  
  


"I'm so tired," she admitted quietly.

He smiled, "Come on, go see Dr. Gorma.  I bet he has something you can take to make you feel better.  Get a full night's sleep tonight and you'll feel a hundred percent better in the morning."

"But…"

"You are not letting anyone down, Allura."

She raised her head to look at him, it was like he was reading her mind.

Keith continued, "You're allowed to get sick and at the rate you're going, you're going to completely wear yourself out."

"Just tonight."

"Just tonight," he took her hands and pulled her to her feet.  "You go see Dr. Gorma and I'll put together the papers for Koran to go over.  We'll take care of this."

"Thank you," Allura whispered, kissing his cheek.  "Let me know if you need anything or if you can't find something."

"Go Allura."

"Don't touch those letters there, I have yet to sort them."

"Go Allura."  
  


"And I have that pile put in order, so don't mess with those either."

"Allura," Keith took her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him.  "I promise to not let your planet fall apart while you're resting."  
  


"I know you won't, it's just that if Kasdar calls tonight…"

"I'll talk to him."

"But you're…"

"The future Prince Consort," he interrupted.  "I want to know what you do and I want to be able to help you.  Just let Koran and I do this."

"Alright," her shoulders slumped.

"I'll come later and fill you in."

"Thank you, Keith."

"Love you, Angel."

"Love you too, Keith."

********************************************************

An hour later found Koran sitting across the desk from a very confused Keith.

"No, Captain, we can't just agree with Kasdar to send 450 gallons of our herathane to his planet in exchange for 600 gallons of berthane."

"But the berthane will be a huge help when we start up the roadways.  We will need to have a stash of fuel for the cars."

"The cars we're planning to get will run on a clean burning combination fuel of berthane and herathane, we'll need herathane as well."

Keith sighed, "I know that Koran, but we can spare 450 gallons for 600."

"Not when we've only produced 1000 gallons since we started digging and we have already agreed to trade 300 gallons of the herathane to King Yehsreh for more building materials for the downtown, including electrical and digital equipment that we need."

Keith ruffled through the papers on top of Allura's desk, "Why isn't that in here?"

"Because the Princess had signed off on it a couple of weeks ago, it's been filed away," Koran explained.  When Keith had told him that Allura had taken the night off, he was pleased.  The poor girl was running herself ragged.  And then Keith dropped the other shoe, he wanted to work with Koran to finish everything for Allura so she could relax.  The older man shook his head, the Captain meant well, but running the planet was different from running the Voltron Force.

"Then what do you suggest?"  Keith asked tiredly.

"Well, I was going to suggest to the Princess that we offer them 200 gallons for now in exchange for 300 from them and then set up a contract for a certain amount, probably 450 a year for 600, when we can properly gauge how many gallons we'll be able to produce a year."

Keith skimmed over the proposal from King Kasdar, "So you think we should come up with our own proposal, show to Allura in the morning, and, if she agrees to it, we can send it to Kasdar tomorrow."

"I'll type up the proposal, Captain, it's more important you concentrate on the Force and the military."

Keith raised his eyes to his fiancée's advisor, "I want to help Koran.  I want to know what it is Allura has to do as ruler of Arus, I want to be able to help her."

Koran smiled softly, any reservations he may have had concerning Keith and his intentions toward Allura had long ago been assuaged.  "I understand, Captain, and that is very admirable of you, but this is the Princess' responsibility.  The best you can do is to support her and do your job to the best of your ability so she doesn't have to worry about the safety of her planet."

"I knew she worked hard, but I never realized how much she had to do and how hard it is," Keith indicated the work piled up on her desk.

"We're lucky that Princess Allura is such a strong, smart young woman.  She has accepted her responsibilities to Arus and she has done so with dignity, determination, and love.  She loves her planet and her people.  With her as our ruler, Arus can only grow stronger."

Keith nodded.

"And, this isn't easy for me to admit," Koran added.  "But since she has become…involved with you, she has found more self confidence, more strength.  She has become an even stronger leader because of you."

Keith looked down as the heat rose to his face, "We're in this together, Koran."

"I know, Captain, and it makes me feel so much better to know that when I am gone someday, the Princess will have you to depend on."

"I won't let anything happen to her, Koran."

"I know," he got slowly to his feet.  "I'll put together this proposal and add up the necessary funds needed for the new parts and I'll show them to the Princess in the morning."

"What can I do?"  Keith asked.

"Go entertain the Princess, she is a whiny sick person."

Keith snorted, "Thanks, Koran."

*******************************************************

When Keith arrived at Allura's bedroom, he had expected to find her curled up in bed asleep, or at least relaxing.  He should have known better.

"Come in!"  She called when he knocked.

The door slid open and he walked in to see Allura sitting in the middle of her bed.  She had changed into a pair of jeans and his Buccaneers sweatshirt, the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and her hair pulled back into a hasty bun.  A large book was opened in front of her while various scraps of paper and photographs were spread out around her.  A glue stick in one hand and a pair of scissors in the other, she looked up at him.  "Hi, honey."

"I thought you were supposed to be resting."

"I am.  Besides, I'm feeling better," she told him, setting down the glue and ruffling through some cards beside her.  "Dr. Gorma told me it was nothing serious, it'll pass with…" she turned her head away to sneeze.  "It'll pass with some rest and he gave me some medicine for the cough.  So you can kiss me again without having to worry about me hacking a lung up on you."

He chuckled and sat on the edge of her bed, "What is all this and how, exactly, are you resting?"

"This is our scrapbook, your mother gave me the idea when she was here and she showed me the one she had made for you.  And I'm relaxing.  This isn't hard work, this is something I'm enjoying."

Keith leaned over and picked up a stack of cards, he recognized them as some of the congratulatory cards they had received when their engagement had been announced, "Where did you get all this?"

"I've been saving stuff and your mother sent me the supplies to get started and the book.  Here, look," she flipped the scrapbook closed so he could see the deep maroon cover and 'The Whitakers' written on the front in gold with the silver outline of a castle in the background.  "Isn't it nice?  She sent it when we got engaged."

"Uh, yeah, how come I've never seen it before?"

"Well, I was thinking about making it a surprise, but, oh well.  Here it is.  I didn't feel like trying to clean all this up before you came in."

Keith opened up to the first page and saw a picture of him as a baby next to a worn, cracked picture of Allura as a baby. Each picture framed with colored paper and stickers.  "Where did these come from?"

Allura took the book and scooted over so they were sitting close enough that their legs were touching and she could open the book on both their laps.  "Your mother gave me that picture of you and that was my only baby picture to survive the original attack.  Nanny found it for me in my parent's belongings."  She turned the page.  "Remember this?"

He smiled down at the page of pictures and stickers showing their first snowball fight.  Lance had had the frame of mind to have his parents send him his camera and they had taken hundreds of pictures over the years.  

They flipped through the book, reliving happy times both before and after they started dating.  

"What is this?"  Keith tapped a small clear bag taped to the page containing something brittle and dark pink.

"That," Allura leaned her head on his shoulder, "is one of the rose petals from our first date."

He smiled, feeling pleased that she had kept all of these things.  "And this?"

"Apparently Lance was taking pictures of us during our dance lessons.  Those are the lyrics from the first song we danced to."

"Allura!  I can't believe you put that in here!"  
  


"What?  It was the first love letter I had ever received."

"It's private."

She kissed his cheek, "It's sweet."

"I remember that picnic."

"Yeah, Hunk, Pidge, and I kicked your butts at fooseball."

"Football," he corrected, chuckling.

"Whatever, I still beat you."

"Where did you find the time to do this?"  He asked, flipping through the pages.

"It's how I relax.  It's what I do now when I can't sleep at night."

With a small smile, he nuzzled her throat, "So that's why you haven't been to visit me."

"You were the one who said it wasn't safe."

"It isn't."

"But if Lotor were to attack, wouldn't I be safer with you?"  She teased.

"No, you're not safe when we're alone in my room late at night," he whispered, kissing her neck.

Allura smiled and turned to hug him, "Thank you, Keith."

"For what?"

"For looking out for me."

"It's my pleasure and my life's work."

"What do you think of roses?"

He shrugged, "They're flowers."

"No, silly, I mean for the wedding.  I was thinking of using the roses from my garden."

"Sounds good, but next time, can you warn me when you're changing the subject."

"There is so much going on, I can't seem to concentrate on just one thing."

"I spoke to Romelle."

Allura looked up at him, "What did she have to say?  Did you tell her I would call her tomorrow?"

"Yes I did and she and Sven are going to come for a few days next week.  Something about your dress and finishing up the plans."

"She's starting to panic."

"Are you?"  Keith asked her.

She shook her head, "Nah, but then she only has three months left to go."

"And we have, what?  A year?"

"Ten months, three weeks, and five days."

"I stand corrected."

_{{  "You always were too over protective," Allura teased her husband._

_"Someone had to look out for you, trouble seems to follow you," he replied._

_"How long did it take you to rebuild?"  Becca asked._

_"Oh, it took a while," Keith told her._

_"We were trying to plan two weddings on top of all the other work," Allura pointed out._

_Romelle smiled, "I was starting to feel a little stressed.  It was hard when my maid-of-honor lived on a whole other planet and the only help I had at home was my mother's former maid and seamstress.  She could sew beautifully, but she was also a bitter old woman."_

_Sven cleared his throat._

_"Oh, Sven, you were of no help, you know that."_

_Lance snorted._

_"Quiet you," Darcy poked him in the ribs.  "All you did was just agree with everything I said."_

_"And it was a lovely ceremony."_

_"Any way," Becca spoke up.  "Did you hear from Lotor?"_

_Keith nodded, "Yeah, he finally got his duel, well, sort of…"  }}_

"You like the color?"

Allura smiled at her cousin, "It's beautiful, Romelle.  I'll take the pattern to Hilla and have her get started on the dress right away."

"Okay, then my dress and your dress are taken care of," Romelle ticked off her fingers as she went over her mental to-do list.  "The flowers have been decided upon and Nanny said she would make me a cake.  Sven's family is going to fly in a week before the ceremony so they can be there."

"It's going to be great."

"I am so excited, Allura, nervous, but excited.  I am looking forward to it, but at the same time I want it to be over."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to be married to Sven, I want it all complete and official.  Bandor has given us a piece of land near the castle so we could build our own place.  Sven wants a house of his own for our family.  _Our family_.  I love the way that sounds.  I want to be married and raising our family in our home."  Romelle clasped her hands together excitedly.

"And I have to wait almost a whole year for that," Allura whined.

"It'll be here before you know it," Romelle assured her.  "So how are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, why do you ask?"

"When I spoke to Keith, he said you were getting sick."

"No, I'm fine.  He was just worrying too much."

"What have you heard from Doom?"

"Not much.  Keith reported that there has been some activity on the planet, but we fought back pretty hard last time they attacked and we did some damage.  We're hoping that Lotor is finally taking the hint and is going to leave me, uh, I mean us alone.  You haven't heard anything from him on Pollux, have you?"

Romelle shook her head, "No, thank goodness.  But Sven and Bandor are working on rebuilding the military, so hopefully we'll be ready if anything does happen."

"That's good to hear.  And you know you only need to call us if you ever need help."

  
"I know," Romelle squeezed her cousin's hand.  "And I appreciate it."

"Keith and Sven are going to see about getting some Garrison soldiers in for the wedding as added security."

"Good.  I just wish it wasn't necessary."

"I know and someday…" Allura broke off at the sound of the castle alarms and rolled her eyes.  "It doesn't end, does it?"


	49. A Truce, A Wedding, And A Discovery

"What is it?" Allura asked as she and Romelle hurried into Castle Control.

Keith, Sven and Lance were already there with Koran when the two women arrived with Hunk and Pidge at their heels.

"It appears to be a single, Doom transport ship," Keith told her.

"No fighters? No coffin?" She asked coming to stand beside him.

Lance studied the radars, "No, just the transport."

"We're trying to make contact with them," Koran explained as he worked on tuning in a signal.

Sven crossed to Romelle and took her hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly. Even though she knew she was safe within the castle walls, the thought of Lotor sent a shiver through her. "It's alright," he whispered.

Allura stepped up to the main console. "You have entered Arusian airspace," she announced into the microphone. "State your name and business."

There was no response.

"You have entered Arusian airspace," she repeated as Keith turned to his men and they began working on a plan. "State your name and business or we will be forced to fire upon you."

The screen flicked and was then filled by the smiling visage of Lotor. "Greetings Princess!"

"Lotor."

Keith stepped up to stand beside her.

"I was hoping to land so I could have a few words with you, face to face." 

"I don't think so," Keith said.

"Commander, so nice to see you again." 

"What do you want?"

"May I land?"

"What do you want?" Allura repeated Keith's question.

"I just wish to speak with you. I come unarmed and with only my pilot."

Allura looked up at Keith. His eyes were narrowed as he stood possessively over her. With a sigh she turned back to the screen. "You may land on the tarmac furthest from the castle. We will meet you out there."

"Are you sure about this?" Keith asked as she closed the connection.

"Yes I am." She turned to the others, "Lance, you and Hunk come with us. Koran, stay here with Pidge, Sven, and Romelle. Keep an eye on the radar and let us know the second you see anything out of the ordinary."

"Yes, your highness," Koran bowed slightly.

"Do you know what's going on?" Keith asked as they crossed the room.

"No, but I am sick of this. We can't let him continue to terrorize us." 

"I want you to stay back," Keith lowered his voice. "Stay behind us."

"He wants to talk to me."

Keith exchanged a glance with Lance who shrugged in response.

Lotor's ship came in for smooth landing at the furthest LZ from the castle. The four of them watched as the ramp lowered and the door opened. Lotor did not sweep out as he normally did, full of arrogance. Instead, he walked quickly, with his head bowed down, almost in reverence.

Keith stood so close to Allura she could feel the heat rising off his body. Lance stood on her other side while Hunk stood about two steps behind her. They all flipped the safety off on their blasters and she knew it would take less than one second for them to pull out their weapons and have them trained on Lotor.

"Your Highness," Lotor bowed deeply in front of her.

Allura nodded her head, "What do you want, Lotor?"

"Right to the point, always liked that about you," he flashed her a smile.

Keith took a protective step closer to Allura, his arm pressed against hers. "Just get to it," he said menacingly.

Lotor flicked his gaze from Allura to Keith and back again. "I have come to offer you…" he stopped when he noticed Lance had taken his blaster out and was twirling it around his finger. "I, uh, I have come to offer you a truce."

Lance snorted. Keith sent him a withering look.

"Explain," Allura commanded.

"We have been fighting for too long, Princess, I feel it is time to end."

"I agree."

"I come here freely to offer you a truce. It is time we learned to live in peace. I have plans to rebuild Doom and I was hoping we would one day be able to work together."

"The only way there can be a actual truce," Keith interjected, "is when you turn yourself in to the Garrison and serve time for your crimes."

Lotor looked up at Keith and curled his lip in a snarl, "I wasn't speaking to you, Commander."

"No, but you were speaking to Allura, which is pretty much the same."

"Ah, how cute, you're putting up a united front. So important for a strong marriage."

"How do you plan to pursue this truce," Allura asked.

"Right here and now, I promise to never again stage an unprovoked attack on Arus."

"Define 'unprovoked attack'," she demanded.

"Excuse me?"

"We have never provoked you. You have attacked before just because I wouldn't marry you and when you were angry Keith and I became engaged."

The muscle in Lotor's jaw jumped as he clenched his teeth, "We have never really seen eye to eye on things, Princess, but that will change."

"How do I know I can trust you?"

"You have my word."

Allura shook her head, "That's not enough."

Lotor took a step closer. In a flash of movement, Keith and Lance moved so they were blocking Allura. Keith had one hand on the butt of his weapon and the other on Lotor's chest, preventing him from coming any closer.

"This truce won't succeed if you can't trust me," Lotor said through clenched teeth.

Allura laid her hand on Keith's arm, pulling it away from Lotor. "You have to admit that your past behavior makes my hesitance necessary."

"Granted," he straightened his cloak and shot Keith an annoyed glance. "But it was my **past** behavior. That has all change."

"I cannot just take your word, Lotor, you will have to prove it to me through actions. And it will take a long time to earn my trust."

Indignation filled Lotor with angry heat. It was his automatic reaction to want to strike out and make her apologize for her insolence, but he fought to keep his calm. He knew that if he so much as took another step closer, the three men would not hesitate to shoot him.

Keith watched as the lavender face of the ruler of Doom darkened. A chill raced down his spine and Keith was filled with an overwhelming need to have Lotor off of Arus, away from Allura. "Tell you what, Lotor. Why don't you get back on your ship, go back to Doom and we will give your proposal some thought. The Princess will contact you when she makes a decision."

Lotor's eyes narrowed, "I believe I made my proposal to the Princess, not you."

"I will give it some thought," Allura told him.

This wasn't how it was supposed to go, Lotor thought. She was supposed to agree, they would forge a friendship. He would have Voltron and Allura. She was just a woman, she was too stupid to see through him.

"I don't want to wait long," he said quietly.

Keith instinctively took another step to the right, blocking Allura even more, "You have her answer, Lotor."

"When did you become the ruler of Arus?" He asked sarcastically.

"I'm not," the Commander told him. "I will be the Prince Consort, but above all else, I am concerned for Allura's safety. And as far as I know, she will never be safe with you around."

Lotor laughed bitterly, "**Prince Consort**? That's pathetic. You can never be King. I, however, am already a King."

"Yeah, a king to a fallen empire and broken planet," Keith shot back.

Lotor took another step closer.

Keith pushed Allura back into the safety of Hunk's arms while Lance fixed his blaster on Lotor.

"Keith, don't!" Allura struggled against Hunk's grasp.

"You would shoot an unarmed man?" Lotor asked Lance, never taking his eyes off Keith.

"Normally I wouldn't, but since it's you, I'll make an exception."

"Lance," Keith warned. "Step back."

Lance knew his Captain and best friend well enough to know he had just been given the order to act as backup. He lowered his weapon and took a step back to allow Keith to fight his battle.

"Keith, don't. I am ordering you to walk away from this fight." Allura said as sternly as she could.

"Aren't you going to listen to your woman?" Lotor sneered.

Keith clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides, he wanted nothing more than to beat Lotor to a bloody pulp, but his military training had him pausing at the sound of an order. "Get off our planet and don't ever, **ever**, come back."

"Arus is not your planet," Lotor murmured.

"You need to accept the fact that Allura will never be yours."

"I came here to pursue a truce."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well maybe that tiny brain inside your thick head makes it hard for you to understand."

"Jealousy is not an attractive trait, Lotor."

"What am I jealous of? Your lack of intelligence or your lack of proper breeding?"

"No, the fact that I have what can never be yours."

"Keith," Allura interrupted this little game they were playing. "Enough of this. Lotor, leave, now."

"You heard her," Keith said, never taking his eyes off the man before him. "If you do not leave now, as requested by the ruling monarch, we will make you leave, by force."

"Don't threaten me, Captain."

"Then leave."

Lotor pulled himself up to his full height and took a deep breath, "I shall leave, but on my terms. I will be in touch, Princess, I want to hear from you by the end of the week."

An angry red haze edged its way into Keith's mind. "**If** you hear from her, it will be when she's ready, not a second sooner."

"Once again, Captain, I was speaking to the Princess, not you."

"Why are you stalling, Lotor? Turn around, get back on your ship and get the fuck off our planet," Keith suggested in a calm voice as he took a step closer to his enemy.

"I am not one of your men, Captain, I don't take orders from you."

"Fuck this," Keith muttered a split second before slamming his fist into Lotor's stomach. As the Doomian doubled over, wrapping his arms around his stomach, Keith brought his fist up into Lotor's chin, knocking his head back and causing him to fall to his knees. Keith kneeled beside him, "I don't know why you won't leave, it makes me wonder what you're up to. You have ten seconds to get back on your ship

Taking a ragged breath, Lotor got slowly to his feet. With one last glance at Allura, Lotor hobbled back to his ship.

Hunk released Allura from his grasp as Keith flexed his hand.

As his ship rose, Lotor watched as the Princess hurried over to the Captain. She took his bruised hand in her own spoke to him before smiling softly and kissing his hand.

"This is far from over," the ruler of Doom muttered under his breath.

* * *

* * *

Allura wiped a tear away as she watched her cousin promise her love and loyalty to Sven. It was a small, beautiful ceremony. Unfortunately, due to the constant threat of Doom over the past couple of months, Keith and Allura were the only ones free to attend. The other members were able to watch from a closed circuit system Pidge and Bandor had set up.

Keith met Allura's eye from where he stood beside Sven and winked at her. She knew what he was thinking. In about seven months, that was going to be them. Allura smiled at the thought and returned his wink.

When they were pronounced husband and wife, Sven cupped Romelle's face in his hands and gently sealed their future with a kiss.

Keith, Allura, Bandor, and the few members of the household who had gathered all clapped. Romelle turned to Allura with wet eyes and a huge smile. With a quiet laugh, Allura hugged her cousin tightly and whispered her congratulations.

"This is amazing," Romelle said as they pulled apart. "I am married to Sven. It has actually happened. I am married to Sven."

"Yup, you can't back out now." Sven appeared at her side with Keith.

"Congratulations, Sven," Allura said, pulling him into a tight hug. 

"Tank you, Allura," he smiled, squeezing her back.

"Alright, alright you've got your own woman, now," Keith mumbled, pulling Allura out of his friend's grasp.

Sven wound his arms around Romelle's waist and rested his chin on her head, "Yes I do, de most amazing voman in de vorld."

She tilted her head back and looked up at her husband, "I love you, my wonderful husband."

"I love you, my beautiful vife," he whispered, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss.

"Keith, Allura," Bandor appeared at their side. "You'll stay and have dinner with us before you head back, won't you?"

"Of course they will," Romelle answered for them when she removed her lips from her new husband.

Allura looked at Keith and nodded. He checked his watch and shrugged.

"We will," she told her young cousin.

"At least the ceremony went off without a hitch," Keith said as they made their way into the castle.

"Yeah, we were really lucky," Bandor replied watching as his sister and her husband tried to walk into the castle while Sven still had his arms around her waist, her back pressed against his chest. She giggled as he caught her when their legs tangled and she almost fell. "Sven's a good man."

"Yes, he is," Keith agreed, grinning at the antics of his old friend. "He'll treat her well and you are lucky to have one of the greatest military minds the Garrison has ever had on your side."

"How bad has the threat from Doom been?" The young king asked as they entered the main dining room.

"Well, I guess punching him wasn't the smartest thing I ever did," Keith admitted as he pulled a chair out for Allura.

"No," she agreed. "It wasn't. We knew he was up to something when he attempted to call a truce, but you beating him up didn't exactly change his feelings toward us. We have been attacked over a dozen times the past couple of months."

"And we continue to defeat him, but he won't give up."

"Do you think Pollux is in danger?" Bandor asked.

"He has yet to turn on us," Sven spoke up.

"But will we be ready if he does?"

"I believe so, but de more time ve have de better."

"And you know we will help in any way you need," Allura promised.

Bandor smiled, "Thank you, Allura, we greatly appreciate that. We are working on building up our fleet and with the Garrison helping, we should be able to fully defend ourselves before long."

"Hopefully, Lotor won't be a threat for much longer," Keith said. "I've heard through the grapevine that the Garrison might actually have enough evidence to go in and arrest him."

"I don't understand why he hasn't been arrested already," Bandor admitted as he accepted a full plate from a maid.

Keith nodded, "Well, it's tricky…"

"A lot of bureaucratic nonsense," Sven mumbled.

"Yeah, that about sums it up. It seems like every time they gathered enough evidence, something happens. Reports disappeared, witnesses died or recanted their admissions. Zarkon was able to bully and threaten enough people to back him but we had hoped that Lotor would be unable to do the same. Since he is still getting away with so much, we can only assume that Haggar has something to do with it." The Voltron Commander explained.

"But we are doing everything in our power to put an end to his tyranny," Allura added.

* * *

* * *

"I am so glad you could make it," Romelle whispered as she embraced Allura.

"So am I," Allura pulled back to look at her glowing cousin. "I am so happy for you."

"Thank you," Romelle slid her gaze to Sven where he stood talking to Keith. "I just know things can only get better from here on out."

"I meant what I told Bandor, if you guys need anything at all, please ask."

"Thank you, Allura, the same goes for you. And we'll be on Arus soon to plan your wedding."

"Yup, I can't wait. Well, enjoy your wedding night," Allura embraced her cousin one more time as Keith and Sven crossed the tarmac to join them.

"Oh, I think I will."

"Vhat is so funny?" Sven asked as they approached the giggling women.

"I'm just so happy for the two of you," Allura told him, squeezing his hand.

"And I'm just happy," Romelle threw her arms around his neck.

"Alright, I hate to do this, but we have to hit the skies," Keith said, slinging his arm around Allura's shoulders.

"Tank you for coming," Sven extended his hand to Keith while still holding Romelle with his other arm.

"I'm glad we could make it," he replied, shaking the groom's hand. "Congratulations, man."

Handshakes and hugs were once again shared as final goodbyes and regrets about the lack of time were said. Keith and Allura boarded Black and watched as Sven and Romelle waved from the tarmac as they took off.

As soon as they were in the air, Keith dialed up Castle Control.

"Castle Control," Lance answered. "What's up, Keith?"

"We're on our way back, Lance. How did today go?"

"Pretty uneventful."

"No attacks or signs of Doom?"

"Nope. All clear."

"Nothing to report at all?"

Lance shook his head.

"Great. We should be there in about five hours or so. If anything happens, contact us immediately."

"No problem, Captain."

Keith closed the connection and turned to see Allura strapped into the fold down seat and watching space hurtle past through the windshield. After flipping on autopilot, he reached over and took her hand, "Penny for your thoughts."

She turned her gaze to him, a bewildered look on her face, "What?"

"An old Terran expression. What's on your mind, beautiful?"

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"We're next Keith, we're getting married in just over half a year."

"Are you having second thoughts?"

"Of course not," she squeezed his hand. "It just seems unreal."

"Oh, it's real," he winked at her.

"I'm worried, Keith. Lotor is acting erratically. He shows up and tries to get us to agree to a truce that we knew he had no intention of keeping. Then he attacks almost like clockwork for two months and now we haven't heard from him for a couple of weeks."

"Maybe he's finally grasping the fact that he can't defeat us."

"Do you really believe that?"

"No."

"I'm scared about our wedding."

"We're taking every precaution we can, Allura. The Garrison is going to send soldiers to help out the week before and they're going to stay until the day after. We have scaled down the ceremony to only a hundred guests and security will be tight. I won't let him ruin the day for us."

"It seems like he always finds a way to ruin things for us."

"Not this time," he said bringing her hand to his lips. "You know, we are completely alone." He turned her hand over and kissed the pulse point on her wrist. "No Nanny." His lips moved up to the inside of her forearm. "No Koran." The inside of her elbow was next. "No Lotor."

"What are you getting at?" She asked coyly.

Keith dropped her hand when he realized he could go no further with them both strapped into their seats, "Wanna fool around?"

A quick laugh bubbled up inside her, "How romantic."

Smiling, he quickly unlatched her belts and his own, closing the gap between them and pulling her onto his lap, "You want romance?"

"I'll never turn it down," she mumbled, tilting her head back to accept his kiss.

He brought his hands up to cup her face and deepen the kiss. Allura slipped her hands between them and started undoing the buttons of his jacket and then the buttons of his shirt. Keith slid his hands down to her shoulders and around her back, but the zipper he had expected to find was in fact a column of tiny pearl buttons. Pulling her close, he rested his chin on her shoulder and brushed her hair aside to look down the back of the dress. A groan escaped from deep within his throat, partially due to the fact that about a thousand tiny buttons impeded his path and partially due to what Allura's mouth was doing to his throat as her hands raced over his exposed abdomen.

Keith gripped the back of her collar tightly in both hands and whispered, "Would you be terribly upset if I ripped this dress off of you?"

He felt her lips curve into a smile against his throat. She sat back and locked her hands behind his neck. "Yeah, I would be. It's a lovely dress, my maid of honor dress. And if we were to get off this ship with my dress torn apart, Nanny would most likely lock me away until the wedding, if she allowed me to actually go through with the wedding."

"Alright," he muttered.

"Besides," she laid her head on his shoulder. "I thought we weren't going to sleep together again until our wedding night."

"I just wanted to touch you," he whispered. "We don't get a lot of free time alone."

"I know, sweetie, just seven more months and everything will get better," Allura promised, tracing the scar on his chest with her finger.

Heat suddenly filled Keith as lust shot straight through him. Something had happened to make him want to throw all caution to the wind and rip that dress off her. "Stop that," he muttered through clenched teeth.

She pulled her hand back quickly, "What is it, does it hurt?"

"Not…quite."

Allura raised her head and saw his dark eyes and noticed his heavy breathing. "What is it?"

"I don't know. Your touching my scar…had an effect on me."

"What do you mean?"

Without saying a word, he swept her hair over her shoulder and massaged her neck. When she relaxed against him, Keith moved his fingers to gently tickle her birthmark. She instantly stiffened. With a gasp, Allura locked her gaze with him, her eyes wide and darkened to a deep cobalt.

He dropped his hand, "See what I mean?"

"Oh wow," she breathed, wrapping her arms around his middle under his shirt and hugging him tightly. Laying her head on his shoulder, she closed her eyes and tried to calm her breathing and slow her heartbeat.

Keith wrapped his arms around her and tilted his head to rest against the top of hers, "This is an interesting discovery."

"I don't get it," Allura whispered. "What just happened?"

"I think having you touch my scar and me touching your birthmark somehow, for lack of a better description, deepens our bond."

"You mean when we touch the Love Knot, it makes us…" she trailed off blushing.

Keith ran his one hand over the scar, nothing happened. "I think you have to be the one to touch me." He grabbed her hand as she reached to caress him again. "Uh, no, let's not do this now."

She smiled mischievously, "I thought you wanted to fool around."

"Yeah, but we can't take it that far and if you keep touching my scar I might just explode."

"How come I never noticed it before? I mean, you massage my neck all the time."

Keith laid his hand on her neck like he normally did and noticed his fingers came in contact with the sides of her neck, but his hand was curved and didn't actually touch her birthmark. "I think your mark is in an odd enough spot that I never touched it without meaning to."

"Well, this is certainly interesting," she said, buttoning up his shirt. "We should look into it and see what kind of magic this is."

"I think it's our bond, babe."

"Hm, I guess this could either be a lot of fun or a lot of trouble."

Keith took her hand and laid it over his chest. "I guess it has to be skin on skin contact because it doesn't seem to be working through my shirt."

"I'll keep that in mind," she laid her head on his shoulder and wrapped her arms around him.

Sliding his arms around her, Keith couldn't help but think about the depths of his feelings for her. It didn't take the magic of the scar to make him want her, that had happened long before the lion had knocked him down. He was becoming more and more confident in the fact that they really did belong together, no matter what their titles or upbringings were.

_{{ "Does it still work?" Becca asked, enthralled._

_"Oh yes," Keith grinned. "Whenever she is really mad or I need her to forgive me for something, I just touch her birthmark."_

_Allura__ scowled, "I knew it was going to cause as much trouble as it does fun. I've learned to argue with him from across the room or over the communicators."_

_"This is all part of some supernatural bond?" Paton asked._

_Keith nodded, "Yeah, we actually talked to Kadmus about it. There is magic in Allura's bloodline that explains her birthmark and there was magic in the lion that hit me. We were meant to be together."_

_"What did Lotor do next?" Darcy inquired._

_"Well, he laid low for a while. We had Intel saying that things were quiet on Doom, but we were still worried." Keith explained. "We went about our lives, we couldn't just sit and wait. We planned our wedding and prepped the __North __Tower__. The rooms needed to be cleaned out and painted. But all the while, Lotor was always at the back of our minds…}}_


	50. Painting A Dreary Picture

Hi All!

Thank you all for the great reviews! I really appreciate them.

Sorry for the delays in getting these chapters out, life really seems to be getting in the way lately.

There are probably only two more chapters left, but the fact is, this story is already about 35 chapters longer than I meant it to be :-)

Enjoy!

Failte

* * *

SPLAT!

Keith stood stunned for a minute before looking down to see beige paint splattered across the chest of his t-shirt. He slowly raised his eyes to see his fiancée's, her hand over her mouth to hide her laughter, watching him, with a wet paintbrush in her other hand.

"Not funny, Allura."

"Oh, but honey, it's your color," she giggled.

He leaned down and dipped his brush in the bucket, "But is it yours?"

"No!" Allura shrieked, tripping over a can of paint to get away from him.

Keith grinned evilly as he stood over her, "You should have thought of that before you flicked paint on me."

"Okay, okay," she threw her hands up to shield her face, still laughing. "I'm sorry, Keith, I am so sorry."

"You know, I would take that apology more seriously if you weren't laughing." Using wide, sweeping strokes, looking quite a bit like Zorro brandishing a paintbrush, Keith marked the front of Allura's shirt.

"What did you do?" She gasped, lifting her head to look at her shirt.

"I marked you."

"Is that a K?"

"Yeah, see if I had a sword on me, I would have carved it in your shirt, but all I had handy was a paintbrush."

Giggling, Allura held her hand up so Keith could haul her to her feet. What he didn't notice was the brush in her other hand. With one swift movement, Allura swiped across his face, leaving a wide stroke of beige over his left cheek and nose.

Still holding her hand, Keith yanked her closer and brought his brush up to coat her forehead in paint. Allura hit his neck next only to have Keith retaliate by painting her left arm. Somehow they ended up on the floor landing on a tray full of paint, splashing it all over themselves, the ladder, and the drop cloths.

Laughing hysterically, Allura collapsed on the floor beside Keith, trying to catch her breath. "I have paint in my hair!"

"You started it," he responded, laughing.

Sitting up, the young Princess scanned the room. It was the master bedroom in the North Tower and would be their bedroom once they married. They, along with Nanny and the rest of the Force, had been cleaning and moving furniture for over a week and the painting had just begun.

"It's a dull color," she whined.

"No, it's a neutral color," he corrected, putting his hands behind his head. "Once we get the furniture in here and some things on the wall, you'll see it was the right choice."

"Do you have to be right about everything?" She teased.

"It's a curse sometimes, but yeah."

Allura laid down on her stomach, bracing herself on her elbows so she could look down on him, "What about when you thought I couldn't love you?"

"I knew you did."

"You did not!"

"Yes I did. I knew you didn't have a chance against my charm."

Allura looked disbelievingly at him before bursting out in laughter, "You are way too smug sometimes."

"No, I know you want me."

"The truth is, I'm just using you to get to Lance."

Keith grabbed her arm, "No, you want me."

She snorted, "Get over yourself."

Allura shrieked when she saw his hand reaching for the back of her neck, "No, Keith, no, don't!"

Ignoring her pleas, Keith grinned as he pulled her closer and gripped the back of her neck, "Admit you want me."

"No!" She giggled.

He moved his finger and watched as her eyes darkened and she tried to fight the desire that washed over her, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of surrendering herself to him.

"You want me," Keith whispered huskily.

"Yeah, I do," she admitted, defeated.

Smiling softly, he brought her head down and met her lips with his own. Allura ran her hands down his sides and tried to get under his shirt, but was stopped when he grasped her hands in his, stretching them above their heads as she fell on top of him.

"Ach Princess! What are you doing?" Nanny appeared in the doorway, hands on her hips.

"Looks like their christening their new bedroom," Lance quipped.

With as much dignity as she could muster, Allura sat up and pushed her paint splotched hair out of her face. "We're painting."

Lance moved past Nanny and looked around the room, "The walls or each other?"

Keith stood and offered Allura a hand to pull her to her feet, "All I'm saying is she started it."

"Oh really!" Nanny huffed, throwing her hands in the air. "You are getting married in a week, when are you going to start acting like adults?"

Keith shrugged, "Ask us in another ten years."

Throwing him an annoyed look, she turned to the Princess, "Go, your highness, you need to wash up and meet with Hilla."

Allura's face lit up, "My dress is done?"

"Not yet, Princess, this is just a fitting. She will need to make a few adjustments, I'm sure. They never fit quite right the first time."

With a huge grin on her face Allura twirled around to face Keith, "If you'll excuse me, I have to go try on **my wedding dress**."

"So you're going to leave me to clean up this mess?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yup. Lance can help you."

Keith crooked his finger at her, "Come here."

Taking a step closer, she asked, "What?"

"Have fun," he leaned forward and kissed her.

"You too," she smiled, turning to leave.

Before she got too far, Keith reached out and smacked her behind, leaving a beige handprint. 

"Keith!" Allura gasped.

"Oh really!" Nanny sighed as the two guys laughed. "Come along, Princess." She took Allura's arm and dragged her from the room, lecturing her on what proper behavior is for a ruling monarch.

* * *

"Oh…oh…" Allura was at a complete loss as to what to say when she saw her dress. It still needed to be taken in about one and half inches, shortened by two, and the final touches added, but in her eyes it was absolutely beautiful.

Nanny wiped a tear away from her eye, "Princess, you look so lovely. I wish your parents could be here."

"They are," she whispered.

Twirling to the right, Allura held her arms out at the sides, examining herself in the mirror. It was a white, lace covered A-line gown. The fitted bodice and scalloped V-neck showed off her figure beautifully, but it was the sleeves that she liked the best. They were long bell sleeves of handmade lace. Tears welled up in her eyes as she imagined what Keith would think when she walked down the aisle.

"Alright, your highness," Hilla stood and took a step back. "You may take it off now. We'll have another fitting in a couple of days."

Allura took the hand Hilla offered her and stepped down from the stool she was on, "Thank you so much, Hilla. You have done an amazing job."

"It was a pleasure, your highness."

Gathering the skirt in her hands, Allura made her way into the bathroom to change.

"Princess," Nanny called through the door. "I am going to go downstairs and start dinner. If you need anything, Hilla will be here."

"Alright, Nanny, thank you!" Allura called back.

Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, the Princess of Arus studied her image. Her heart raced and her eyes blurred with tears as excitement, nerves, and just plain happiness flooded her. She just wasn't ready to take it off yet.

"What are you doing here?" Hilla's shrill voice floated through the door.

"Who is it?" Allura called back. "Is it Keith? He knows he can't see me in my dress. Tell him to wait."

But Hilla didn't answer.

A chill raced down her spine and she felt the hair on the back of her neck rise. "Who's out there?"

When there was no answer, Allura whirled around and dug into her pile of clothes, looking for her communicator. She heard the door open just as her hands closed around the device. A scream just barely escaped as a cloth was placed over her nose and mouth and unconsciousness overtook her.

* * *

"Alright man, I have to go take a shower before this completely dries," Keith said.

Lance smirked, "No problem, man, I'll put the ladder away and then we're done."

"Just put it in the room across the hall please, we're painting that one tomorrow."

"Are you going to need someone to act as referee?"

"No, smartass, but if you want to help, we'd really appreciate it."

Lance folded the ladder, "When are we moving the furniture in here?"

"I'd like to start as soon as the paint is dry. We're getting married in a week, Lance, and the North Tower isn't ready."

"Your family is coming the day after tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, I had been hoping to have it all together before my mother got here."

"As long as the bedroom is ready, what else do you need?"

Keith smacked him upside the head as he left the room.

On his way to his room, Keith was tempted to dial up Allura and see how she was doing. But she would get annoyed, tell him he was being over protective again. And if he bothered her when she was trying on her wedding dress, she would never forgive him.

Stripping out of his clothes and dropping them on an old towel, he turned on the water and proceeded to scrub the paint off his body. As he lathered up his hair, a chill ran down his spine and the scar on his chest began to tingle. It wasn't painful, just odd.

Keith stuck his head under the spray and rubbed his chest. Allura.

Twisting the knobs and shutting off the water, he pushed his hair out of his eyes and wrapped a towel around his waist. At this point, he didn't care if she got annoyed, he had to talk to her, make sure she was alright.

Picking his communicator up off the counter, he dialed her up. No answer.

Keith swore under his breath as he quickly grabbed some clothes and pulled them on.

"Lance," he called into his communicator as he left his room. "Gather the rest of the guys and meet me in Castle Control. Now."

"What is it, Keith?" 

"Just do it, I'll explain there." Keith snapped his communicator shut and ran full force toward the center of the castle. He didn't know what was going on but he knew that if they met and regrouped in Castle Control, they could figure it all out.

Koran and Pidge were already in Castle Control when he arrived, Lance and Hunk appeared a moment later.

"Something is wrong," he told them. "Allura is not answering her communicator and I know something is wrong." 

"How do you know?" Koran asked. "Nanny told me she was in Hilla's room for a fitting, she may just have taken it off to put the dress on."

"You need to trust me on this, Koran. Alright, Hunk, you go find Nanny. Lance, you check the Observation Deck and the Rec Room, Pidge I want you to go to Hilla's room, and I will check Allura's room. Koran you stay here. First person to find her contact the rest of us. If we…" He stopped and cleared his throat. "If we don't find her, meet back here within five minutes."

"Yes, Captain," his men replied.

Before anyone could leave, the door slid open and two young guards raced in, breathless. They halted in front of Keith and saluted before the one he recognized as Private Levin spoke.  
  
"Sir, we found something you should see."

"What is it?" He asked, feeling the hair on the back of his neck rise.

"Two guards sir, they were knocked out and their uniforms taken."

"Where are they?"

"In the hall closet, sir."

The Force followed the two guards, all drawing out their weapons. A third guard was standing watch over the closed door to the closet. When he saw the Commander approaching, he stepped aside and slid the door open.

Two guards laid in a tangle on the floor of the closet, stripped to their underwear. Keith knelt down and checked for a pulse, they were both alive. He looked up at the three guards, "Take them to the hospital, I want to know the second they're awake."

"Yes, sir."

He stood and faced the rest of the Force, "Let's go to Hilla's room and see what we find there."

The four of them took off at a run, Keith calling up Castle Control to fill him in on what they had found and where they were headed. His heart was racing. He knew Allura wouldn't be there. She wasn't in the castle and if his instincts were right, he knew who had her.

The door to Hilla's room was open. The stool Allura had stood upon was knocked over, along with Hilla's basket of sewing supplies. The bathroom door was open and Keith entered, his weapon drawn, and saw Allura's clothes in a pile.

"Cap," Pidge's voice called to him from the bedroom.

He walked out to see the three men on the other side of the bed. With his heart in his throat, Keith joined them over the unconscious form of Hilla sprawled on the floor.

* * *

Allura groaned quietly. Her head throbbed and her mouth felt cottony. She tried to move her hand to try and rub the pain from her head only to find she couldn't.

"What the…"

"Princess."

She groaned again, this time out of frustration. "Dammit, Lotor, let me go before Keith gets here and beats the crap out of you."

"Tsk, tsk, Princess," he shook his head and stepped closer to where she was tied to a chair. "Such language. Those men of the Voltron Force have certainly had a negative effect on you."

"What do you want?"

"I've said it before," he said, running a finger down her cheek. "And I'll say it again: I cannot allow you to marry a worthless pilot."

Allura scowled at him, "And I've told you before that you have no say in who I marry. This is getting tiresome, Lotor. You know Keith will find me, you know he will rescue me and you will most likely get hurt. So let's just skip the middleman and you let me go."

He leaned in so his face was mere inches from hers, "I don't appreciate your insolence, Princess."

"I don't appreciate you holding me against my will."

"You will learn to appreciate me and all I can do for you."

"I don't think so."

* * *

"Koran!" Keith shouted into his communicator as he ran towards Castle Control. "We are on our way there, I want you to send out a call to Doom. I want to talk to Lotor."

Koran's eyes widened, but he nodded, "Will do, Captain."

"What are we going to do, Cap?" Lance asked as he ran alongside his commander.

"We're going to try and contact Lotor. If he does not respond or if he has Allura, we head over to Doom."

When the Force arrived in the control room, Koran was standing beside the main console looking grim.

"Were you able to contact Doom?" Keith asked. 

"I didn't need to," Koran sighed, gesturing to the monitor where Lotor's face filled the screen.

Keith snarled at his image, "Where is she?"

"Oh, the Princess is fine, Captain."

"I want to see her."

Lotor stepped aside and Keith could see Allura tied to a chair, her head up straight as she stared determinedly ahead. "What do you want, Lotor?"

The ruler of Doom stepped back in front of the monitor and smiled, "I have what I want, Captain, I have the Princess."

"Not for long."

"Ah, but see I am going to marry her."

"Dream on."

"The ceremony will be in twenty minutes, I just thought you would like to know."

"She will never agree to marry you."

"She doesn't have to."

Keith furrowed his brow, "What are you talking about?"

"As the King, I can choose whomever I want to marry and she has no choice. Once we are married, the Princess will be accepted as the Queen of Doom and so she will be acknowledged by the Garrison and all other neighboring planets."

"That's not legal."

"It is on Doom."

"And when we come and get her…"

"Captain, there is no way you can be here within twenty minutes and once the ceremony is over, she is legally mine. If you try and take her off this planet, I will be forced to kill you. If, by chance, you find a way off the planet with her, you will both be hunted down and, when you're captured, you will be executed."

Keith shook his head, "That's not going to happen, Lotor."

"Yes, it is. After the ceremony I will officially be the ruler of Arus as well and Voltron will be mine." The screen dropped to black.

Keith turned to Koran, "That can't be legal."

"I believe it is," the older man sighed. "But if he does go through with this, you still have to get Princess Allura off of Doom. Once she's back here we can get the marriage annulled. No one will go along with this."

"Alright, here's what we're going to do," Keith waved his men over. "Koran, I want you to contact the Garrison post on Zettle, they're closer than we are. Explain to them what's going on. They can attack, create a diversion, whatever it takes to postpone this…this **ceremony**. Guys, we're leaving now. To your Lions!"

* * *

"I will not allow this to happen," Allura declared.

Lotor crossed to her, cupping her chin in his hand, "You have no choice. Remember Nadia?"

The pale young girl who had tended to Allura on one of her previous _visits_ to Doom entered the room, her head bowed.

"She will help you get ready," Lotor continued. "Fifteen minutes, my bride."


	51. Escaping

Hi All!

Okay, first off, thanks for the great reviews, and I may have been incorrect. There will probably be three more chapters, counting this one, so probably two more. I don't know…I just can't seem to stop :-)

Any way, I really appreciate the reviews and support!

Craze- Thanks for sticking by this story, I am so glad you are enjoying it.

Anony -It is frustrating to think that, but then they all did stick together and who won out in the end? What can I say, a good villain is necessary for a good story.

RedLion2- Thank you for your unending support and the great stories you share with us. The paint war was just fun to write. Above all else, they are a young couple in love and that does involve some goofing off :-) I will admit that I do have a few little idea floating around, but you'll just have to wait and see.

Ytak -Thanks for the review! And the great description of Lotor!

Enjoy!  
Failte

* * *

"This is such bullshit," Keith muttered as they flew as fast as the Lions could go. He found that he wasn't worried or even nervous, he was pissed off. How did Lotor get to her? Well, they knew how, he got into the castle, with help, knocked out two guards, put on a uniform, broke into Hilla's room, knocked her out, and got Allura. But how did he get into the castle? What did he use to knock them out?

A beeping indicated an incoming message. "What is it?"

"I have word from the Zettle outpost," Koran told him. "They have no reason to attack, but they will do their best to cause a distraction and buy you time."

"That's all we can ask for. Any word from the hospital wing?"

"One of the guards, Filiopin, woke. He said they never heard anything, someone sneaked up behind him, grabbed him by the throat and placed a cloth over his mouth and nose. The next thing he knew, he was waking up in the hospital."

Keith sighed, "Alright, keep me posted. We're still over an hour out."

"Will do, Captain."

"Did everyone hear that?" Keith asked his men.

"Yeah, Cap," Hunk replied.

"We'll get her back, man," Lance added.

Pidge nodded, "Lotor is really going to pay this time."

"What's the plan?" Lance asked.

"We fly in there, we get Allura, we get out," Keith explained. "Do what we need to do to get her out of there."

* * *

"If you'll just hold still, I'll finish with your hair," Nadia said quietly.

Allura shook her head hard, "No! You cannot finish my hair! I will not marry Lotor!" She lowered her voice. "Nadia, if you help me get out of here, I will take you with me."

The young girl looked at her, shocked, "Why would I want to go?"

"To be free."

"But…but His Excellency takes care of me."

"Don't you want to be free?"

"I am happy here. His Excellency is a good man. He takes care of me."

"I can offer you freedom, a whole new life."

"No," Nadia shook her head. "When my family was gone and I had no where else to go, His Excellency gave me a home. He is a good man and he will make a good husband."

Allura flinched as Nadia pulled the brush roughly through her hair, "Ow, that hurts!"

"Sit still and it won't," the girl promised, pulling the Princess's hair back tightly.

"What are you doing to me?"

"Making you beautiful for His Excellency."

Allura started struggling again.

"No!" Nadia smacked her hand with the brush. "Stop moving!"

"You hit me!"

"And I will do it again if you don't stop moving! I have to make you beautiful for your wedding!"

"I am not getting married today!" Allura gasped in shock and pain when the girl's hand came in contact with her face.

Nadia leaned in close, wrapping a hand in her hair and pulling it roughly back, "You are the luckiest woman alive! You are about to marry His Excellency and yet you fight me! Do I need to go get the witch?"

Allura stared back into the wild eyes of the girl, "Go ahead and get her. I will not be marrying Lotor today or ever."

"Stupid…stupid…" Nadia punctuated the words by slapping her face and yanking on her hair.

Allura struggled against her restraints.

"What are you doing?" Lotor roared.

Nadia dropped her hands and turned to him, her head down.

He stormed over and gripped her arm tightly, "I told you to do her hair and I find you hitting her? Explain yourself!"

"She was being insolent, Your Excellency," Nadia whispered.

Lotor whirled her around and gripped her chin, forcing her to look at Allura, "That is your Queen. I don't care what she says or what she does, you will respect her and you will never again lay a hand on her." With that, he threw her to the ground and pinned her down by the back of her neck, "You should just be glad I don't kill you."

"Yes, Your Excellency. Thank you, Your Excellency." Nadia mumbled against the floor.

Yanking her up by the arm, he shoved her toward the door, "Go. Leave my sight." Giving her a kick in the back to send her sprawling, Lotor turned back to Allura. "I am so sorry she hurt you, my love."

"Don't touch me!" Allura tried to pull away, but was restrained to the chair.

Pulling a knife from his belt, Lotor sliced through the ropes, nicking her left wrist and ankle in the process. "It is time."

"I will not marry you," she yelled, kicking him in the shin. Since she was barefoot, it really had no effect on him, but it felt as though she had broken three toes.

Lotor smiled indulgingly, "I love you."

"No!" Allura pulled with all her might, scratching at him with her free hand, breaking free of his grasp and running toward the door.

Lotor took off after her, startled when alarms sounded.

* * *

"We're thirty minutes out," Pidge announced.

Keith nodded and dialed in Castle Control. "Any word, Koran?"

"Zettle has sent in a brigade with the plan to try and get in to see Lotor, to stall him as long as they can. They will approach him with the plan to interrogate him about the Princess disappearing." He replied.

"Keep me posted," Keith closed the connection.

"How're you holding up, Keith?" Lance asked.

"I'm fine."

"She's going to be fine."

"I know she will be, I am just really pissed off that this has happened again."

"Yeah, we all are."

* * *

Allura cursed as she tripped over the hem of her gown. Gathering it up in her hands, she tried to move faster over the cold stone floors, trying to find her way out. The halls turned and twisted in different directions and she didn't know if she was heading out or going in deeper. She had only ever been in the dungeons before, this was unknown territory.

* * *

Lotor burst into the throne room at high speed, barking out orders. "I want the entire palace in lock down! The Princess has escaped and I want her found! What is that damn alarm for!"

Guards scattered, going in search of the renegade Princess while Lotor approached the head of the Guards, Oloron.

"Explain."

Oloron bowed, "It's the Garrison, sire, they are demanding they speak to you right away."

"Why?"

"They said they would only speak with you."

Lotor snarled, "This is nothing more than a diversionary tactic. Send them away. We need to find the Princess."

"They won't go away, sir."

"Then shoot them!" He shouted. "I don't care."

"We can't just shoot Garrison officials, sire."

Lotor struck him across the face, "I don't care what you do, just get rid of them."

* * *

Allura ran around a corner and hit a dead end with boxes piled against the wall. Groaning exasperatedly, she whirled around and peeked back down the hall she had just come from. The sound of boots hitting the stone floor echoed as the guards spread out looking for her. If she could just keep Lotor at bay a while longer, that would give Keith enough time to get here.

Two guards ran past her hiding place. She noticed the alarms had been shut off, did that mean the guys were here already? No, it was too soon. What was going on? Looking around, Allura noticed a grate about seven feet off the ground. After quickly checking the hallway again, she stacked a couple of boxes and clambered up, moving quickly when she felt them shake beneath her. Pulling on the grate, it pushed up and she climbed in, wincing when she heard her dress tear.

* * *

"What do you mean you can't find her?" Lotor roared. This wasn't supposed to happen. He and Allura should have been married by now! They should be in their marriage bed! But no, his incompetent men had lost her!

The guard in front of him knelt down on one knee, "I am sorry, Your Excellence."

"I don't want your apologies, I want the Princess!"

"We are still looking, sir."

"But you aren't finding! Go!"

Lotor whirled around and came face to face with Oloron, "What is it?"

Oloron bowed, "The Garrison officials will not leave, Your Excellency, they continue to insist to speak with you."

"Fine, take them into the parlor and make them wait. I will tend to them when I can."

"Yes, sire."

* * *

Allura was moving slowly through the dust and grime inside the vent. It was frighteningly dark, but she was too far along to turn back now. The vent was so narrow she had to shimmy along, feeling both creepy and sharp objects rub against and jab at her arms and legs. Her heart raced and she silently prayed for a sign of light. A sign that she was getting out. She knew Keith was coming for her, but she had to get to him.

She gasped as she felt something small and furry race past her and rub against her arm. Her sleeve caught on something and the beautiful lace tore right off the dress.

Frustration, anger, and fear welled up inside her and Allura stopped, closed her eyes, and bit her lip to keep from bursting into tears. Just this afternoon she was so happy, preparing the bedroom she and Keith would share, trying on her wedding dress. Tonight they were supposed to finish packing up anything she didn't need over the next week and get them ready to move up to the North Tower. Then she and Keith had plans to sneak off and watch a movie, to cuddle and steal a little time alone.  
  
Now she was dirty and scratched up, crawling through the vent of Doom's castle, and afraid that she was actually claustrophobic. And, to top it all off, her beautiful dream wedding dress was destroyed.

Using her arms to pull herself forward, Allura pushed all that aside and concentrated on putting as much space between herself and Lotor as she could.

* * *

Sweat dripped off Lotor's face as he paced the throne room. It had been over half an hour since the Princess had disappeared. The Garrison officials were waiting to speak to him and he knew the damn Voltron Lions would be arriving at any moment. What had happened? Where had it all gone wrong?

"Sire." Oloron looked nervous.

Lotor knew what he was going to say, "What is it?"

"It's Voltron, sire, they have arrived. And…"

"And what?"

"And the Garrison officials, sire, they have left."

"I knew it! They were just a diversionary tactic to try and stall the wedding."

An explosion rocked the castle.

"Sire?"

"They are shooting around the castle, trying to scare us," Lotor said, once again pacing. "They won't destroy the castle as long as the Princess is inside."

"We don't know if she is still inside, sire."

Lotor stopped and turned to face the leader of his guards so they stood nose to nose. "No we don't. But then, neither do they. As far as Commander Keith is concerned, we still have the Princess in our possession. Keep up the search."

"Yes, sire."

* * *

Keith flew Black around the castle, looking for any signs of Lotor or Allura. He had fired down on the courtyard, close enough to shake the foundation but not to cause any real damage.

"What's the plan, Cap?" Lance asked.

"We land over on the west side and go let Lotor know we're here."

"I hope he put out the welcome mat for us," Hunk muttered.

"Looks like we're going to be getting a proper welcome," Lance said as they landed the Lions and Lotor walked out the main entrance.

The Force leapt down from their Lions, but left the great metal creatures on standby, ready for attack. Keith led the way with the other three in formation behind him.

"Commander," Lotor greeted Keith.

"Where is she?"

"You mean my wife?"

"No, I mean Allura."

Lotor smirked, "She is waiting for me to finish my business with you so I can join her in our wedding bed."

Keith took an angry step forward, but was stopped when the guards accompanying Lotor stepped forward to meet him, their weapons drawn.

"I wouldn't do that, Commander. You need to admit you've lost and leave. The Princess is mine."

His men watched as Keith clenched his teeth together in anger. There had to be a way for them to get in, to get to the Princess.

* * *

Allura was finding it hard to breathe in the confined space. This had to end somewhere and at this point she didn't care where, as long as she could just get out. To squelch the rising panic, she mentally went over what was left to be done over the next week. Moving their belongings up to the North Tower, helping Nanny and Romelle arrange the flowers for the ceremony, spend time with Keith's family who were due to arrive in another day. There was so much to do and such little time in which to do it.

The sound of rushing water reached her ears. Allura stopped, unsure as to where to go. A second vent connected to the right, but the water was straight ahead. It sounded like a lake or the moat. It had to lead outside.

* * *

Keith took a small step back. He knew that this was not going to get him any closer to Allura. As it seemed, the best thing to do would be to retreat back, regroup, and then break in under the cover of darkness.

"I swear," Keith swore in a low voice. "If I find out you hurt her in any way, I will kill you with my bare hands."

"Oh, I promise to only hurt her in the most pleasurable of ways," Lotor taunted.

Keith made to move closer but stopped when he heard splashing. Lotor heard it as well and motioned to his two guards. They both raised their weapons and moved over to the water's edge. Keith told Hunk and Pidge to stay with Lotor while he and Lance went to investigate.

"It's probably one of the dogs or something fallen into the moat," Lotor called out. "Just shoot it."

Hunk pressed the muzzle of his weapon against Lotor's head and told him to shut up.

Both Doom guards aimed into the water. Around the side of the castle wall, they all caught sight of a blonde head. A guard fired off a shot. Keith knocked him down and kicked his weapon away as Lance took care of the other guard. Without another thought, Keith dove into the water and swam towards the struggling woman.

"Allura!" He called.

She heard his voice, but was too afraid to believe it.

Keith sliced through the water, somewhere in the distance he heard Lotor's angry voice and a blaster shot, but he was focused solely on the woman ahead of him. She was losing her strength, he could tell as she fought against the water.

Allura let out a scream as an arm wrapped around her waist.

"Allura, baby, it's me," Keith whispered into her ear as he swam toward shore. He was slowed when he felt her go limp in his arms.

"Keith!" Lance met him on the shore and helped pull her out.

Coughing up water, Keith hauled himself out of the water and crouched beside Allura. She was bruised and bleeding from small cuts on her arms and legs, he ran his hands over her limbs to make sure nothing was broken. Her hair was matted and covering her face, he pushed it aside and watched her eyes flutter open. "Hey there, beautiful."

He helped her sit as she coughed up water and clung to him. "It didn't happen, Keith," she wheezed. "We didn't get married."

"Shh," he pulled her close and pressed his lips to her temple. "It's alright, baby, don't worry about it."

"I want to go home," she whispered.

"Come on, man," Lance helped him to his feet. "Lotor's called in backup, let's get out of here."

Keith noticed, for the first time, the sound of gunfire as Hunk, Pidge, and Lance covered them. "Come on, Allura." He took her hands and pulled her to her feet, "Can you walk?"

"I can run," she said, jogging off with him towards the Lions.

They were almost to Black when Allura gasped and stumbled.

Keith caught her before she hit the ground, "Are you okay?"

"I think…I think I was hit," she gasped.

Keith swept her up and ran the last few yards to Black. As soon as they were in the air, he called roll call.

"Yeah, I'm here, I'm fine," Lance replied.

"I was hit in the side, but it's just a graze, hardly bleeding," Pidge said.

"I believe I got away unscathed," Hunk said wonderingly.

"Good, get back to the castle, we'll regroup there. Lance, contact Castle Control and tell Koran we're on our way back with the Princess and to have Dr. Gorma waiting."

"Will do, Captain."

Keith closed the connection to the other Lions, flipped on autopilot, and turned to Allura. She was watching him with wide eyes, her teeth chattering, and her body shaking. He realized she was going into shock.

"Okay, baby," he unbuckled his belts and rubbed her arms. "Stay with me, babe, where were you hit?"

She stared at him blankly, "What?"

"You said you thought you were hit."

"I'm so cold."

Keith reached into a compartment above her head and pulled out a heavy, scratchy blanket, "I know, here, let me help you." He unbuckled her belts and pulled her forward so he could wrap the blanket around her. "Where were you hit, Allura?"

"I hurt all over, but…but my ankle really hurts."

Keith looked down and swore when he saw the blood covering her left foot and dripping onto the floor. He quickly pulled out the first aid kit under his seat and gently lifted her foot onto his lap. "It's just a graze, honey, it's not too bad, but it must sting like hell."

"Yeah, it does," she mumbled.

He gave her his left hand to grip as he cleaned the wound with an antiseptic wipe. She hissed and squeezed his hand painfully hard.

"I know it hurts, baby, but we have to keep it from getting infected." He taped clean gauze over it, "This should hold until we get you to Dr. Gorma. Were you hit anywhere else?"

Allura looked down to see her foot still resting on his lap while he reassuringly stroked the top of it. She was dirty, wet, cold, and…she looked down at what remained of her wedding dress and burst into tears.

"Allura, baby, what is it?" Keith asked worriedly. "Where are you hurt? What can I do?"

She shook her head, crying so hard she couldn't speak.

At a loss as to what else to do, Keith gently laid her foot down and lifted her onto his lap. He turned her so she could put her injured foot up on the seat she had just vacated and to keep it elevated. Gently stroking her hair, he tried to calm her with sweet words.

"You said you hurt all over, what happened? Do you want a pain killer?"

She shook her head and buried her face in his neck.

"What is it?" Keith asked, a million frightening scenarios racing through his mind.

"My dress," she whimpered.

Keith thought he misheard her, "What?"

"My beautiful wedding dress," She sobbed. "It's ruined."

"Your dress?" He asked incredulously.

"Look," Allura sat up and pushed the blanket away to reveal the torn and dirty remnant of her dress.

"Dammit, Allura," he whispered tightening his arms around her and swallowing hard. "It's just a damn dress."

"It's not **just** a dress. It's my wedding dress. The beautiful dress I've always wanted…" She was cut off in mid sentence when Keith covered her mouth with his own.

"You will get another wedding dress, Allura," he promised. "But after everything else that has happened today you will have to forgive me for not caring if your dress is ruined."

* * *

"She has numerous superficial cuts and bruises all over and a nasty blaster graze on her ankle," Dr. Gorma explained to the gathering of people in his waiting room. "The Princess also has a bad headache, as do all the others who had been drugged, but that will pass. Above all else she is just exhausted and sore. She'll be fine in a couple of days."

"Can I see her?" Keith asked.

Dr. Gorma nodded and stepped aside to let him into her room.

Keith crept into the room, closing the door behind him. Allura was laying back in the bed, her wounds had been cleaned and he could see a few small bandages on the back of her hands. Her hair was cleaned and brushed back from her face and she was changed into one of her warm, long nightgowns.

"Hey there," he said, approaching her bed.

"Hi," she answered miserably.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore and angry and frustrated. Dr. Gorma said I needed a couple of days."

"Yes, you do."

"But I don't have time for that!" Her voice rose. "We're getting married in a week, I still have so much to do and your family is coming tomorrow. Romelle should be here in a couple of days and…"

"Allura," Keith covered her mouth with his hand. "Don't worry about all that, we can even push the wedding back a few days if you want." As soon as he saw her eyes widen and heard the quiet gasp behind his hand, Keith knew he had said the wrong thing. Lowering his hand, he added, "Or not. Don't worry, Angel, it will all work out. You relax. Nanny, my mother, Romelle, Sven, the guys and I will take care of everything. I promise. Everything will be just fine."


	52. Stressing

Keith made his way to the hospital wing the next morning. He wanted to see how Allura was doing and fill her in on what he had done already. The Commander of the Voltron Force was feeling rather proud of himself. Allura had been so worried about getting everything taken care of, but Keith was sure she would be thrilled to see what he had done.

Since sleep escaped him last night, Keith spent most of the evening carrying the smaller pieces of furniture and whatnots up to the North Tower. He still needed to move Allura's bed up to their room, but he was going to need help with that monstrosity. It had taken the four of them nearly four hours to take it apart, move it, and then put it back together when they had moved it into her room. So if things went as planned, their room would be done this afternoon, they could worry about the other rooms after Allura was feeling better. He just wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for their wedding night.

After a few hours of sleep, Keith woke up that morning and went straight to Allura's study. There he found a portfolio his Princess had put together for their wedding ceremony. Most of it had been checked off, it was mainly just last minute things that needed to be done now.

Nurse Jewelia was just leaving Allura's room when Keith walked into the hospital.

"Captain," she greeted him.

"Nurse Jewelia, how are you?"

"I'm fine sir, and yourself?"

"Fine, thank you. Is the Princess up to having visitors?"

The nurse looked at the closed door and then back at him, "Dr. Gorma is in with her now, you'll have to wait until he comes out."

"What is it?" Keith asked, feeling the first licks of worry.

"I don't believe it is anything serious, Dr. Gorma will be able to explain it to you when he's done." She assured him before disappearing into the doctor's office.

Keith sat down in a chair facing the door to Allura's room. He mentally ran through what would need to be done if they had to push the wedding back. She would get over any disappointment she might be feeling, her health was what was important.

It was five more minutes before Dr. Gorma walked out of the Princess' room. He looked up from her chart, surprised to see Keith sitting there, clutching some papers in his hands. The Captain jumped to his feet, a worried expression on his face.

"What's wrong?"

Closing the file, Dr. Gorma smiled reassuringly, "It's nothing serious, Captain. Something bit her on the arm when she was crawling through the vent, it appears to have been a small, spider like creature, and she is having an allergic reaction to it."

Keith furrowed his brow, "How bad is it?"

"I cleaned the bite and applied hydrocortisone and antibacterial creams and wrapped it in gauze to keep her from scratching. I am also putting her on antibiotics to stave off any possible infections."

"Can I see her?"

"I wish you would," Dr. Gorma lowered his voice. "If I may say so, Captain, the Princess can be a very difficult patient."

Keith laughed, "I know what you mean. Thanks, Dr. Gorma."

Allura was sitting up in bed, staring glumly at her bandaged left arm.

"Maybe if you glare at it long enough, it'll go away."

She looked up and stuck her tongue out at Keith.

"You know," he closed the door and crossed to sit on her bed. "If you're going to disrespect me like this, I may have to rethink the whole idea of marrying you."

"Go ahead," she pouted. "I can't leave until tomorrow, Dr. Gorma wants me under observation to make sure this bite doesn't turn into anything serious."

"That's not a bad idea, you could use the rest."

"But I have so much to do."

"Oh stop it, you're pouting and it doesn't suit you, my princess."

Allura's mouth fell open, "I am not!"

He took her hand and smiled, "My family is arriving this afternoon and I called Romelle, she and Sven are going to come tonight. We all want to help you, honey, don't try to do all this by yourself."

"But it's our wedding," she said softly. "The only one we'll ever have, it has to go right."

"It will, I found your portfolio," he held up the papers in his hand. "We're ready."

"I don't have a dress," she whimpered.

"Hilla is already working on it and Nanny is helping."

"But it can't be the same as the one I wanted."

"Why not?"

"Because you've seen it, it'll be bad luck."

"No, Allura, I saw a ripped, dirty piece of fabric, not your dress. No bad luck will befall us. I promise."

"You're making fun of me."

"Yes I am."

"Keith!"

He chuckled and leaned over to kiss her forehead, "Tell you what, if you calm down and let us all help you, I will see what I can do to get Dr. Gorma to let you out today."

"Really?"

"You're stressing yourself out. I want you to be able to enjoy our wedding and everything that happens leading up to it. The North Tower is almost done, our family and closest friends will be here. Relax, enjoy it."

She rubbed her arm over the gauze and gnawed on her lower lip, "I promise to relax if you can get me out of here."

He laughed, "Alright, I'll see what I can do."

* * *

Half an hour later, after convincing Dr. Gorma that she would take it easy with her ankle and that she would return that evening and again the next morning to have her arm looked at, Keith and Allura left the hospital wing.

"This is perfect," she gasped, looking around their bedroom. "We just need to get the bed in here."

"We'll do that this afternoon," he promised, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on top of her head.

"Well, it's almost perfect."

Keith groaned and dropped his forehead down on her shoulder.

"No, I mean it's great and all, I just…" she trailed off.

"What?"

"I wanted the bookshelves beside the fireplace, not the dressers."

"You're lucky you're hot," he muttered, walking over to the bookshelves. "And you're lucky these aren't filled yet."

Sitting down in the big chair by the window and batting her eyes, Allura replied "I'm lucky to have such a big, strong handsome husband like you."

After making the necessary changes, Keith knelt in front of her, "Better?"

"Yes, thank you," she leaned forward and laced her fingers behind his neck. "Now, why don't you get the guys and move the bed in here while I got meet with Hilla and see how the dress is coming."

He leaned forward, meeting her lips with his, "What's your hurry? I thought you were going to relax."

Raising an eyebrow, she smiled, "And how do you suggest I do that?"

"I think we can come up with a few ideas," he mumbled moving up so he was stretched out in the chair beside her.

Allura framed his face with her hands and gently kissed him. Keith shifted so he rolled under her and she was on top of him, still attached at the mouth. His hands roamed over her back while her fingers combed through his hair before sliding down to his shoulders. Moaning against her lips, he pulled her closer, deepening the kiss.

"Keith," she lifted her head and looked at him. "We really don't have time for this."

"There is always time for this."

"You know what I mean."

He slowly stroked her hair, "How are you feeling?"

She made a face, "I'm fine."

"I had to ask."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Allura pushed herself off him and stood. "I want to get this room done before your family arrives."

"Come on, Allura," he whined, holding his hand out to her. "We can take fifteen minutes."

She smiled, "I would love to, but you know that fifteen minutes would turn into thirty and then it would be even harder to get to work."

Sighing dramatically, Keith pushed himself to his feet, "Fine, I'll get the guys and you go meet with Hilla."

"Do you need help bringing stuff up?"

"Not until your ankle is better."

"Okay," she stood on her toes and brushed her lips over his. "I'll check on you boys later."

* * *

"I hope this bed is worth it," Lance muttered as he set down his end of the massive headboard.

"Oh it is," Keith replied slyly.

"It's big enough to fit us all on it and still have room left over for Nanny."

"Thanks for putting that image in my mind, Lance."

"How old is this thing?"

Keith steadied the headboard against the wall, "I know it's an antique, it used to be her parents and I think it had been her grandparents before that."

"The carving in the headboard and posts are amazing," Hunk added, carrying two of the posts into the room.

"Yeah, it was entirely handmade," Keith said, tracing one of the carved cherubs. "Let's get this thing together, my family is supposed to be here in a couple of hours."

"How is Allura dealing with everything?" Lance asked as he dug out some tools.

"She's stressing."

Pidge shook his head, "It amazes me that she can run a planet and escape from Doom, but she gets stressed out about meeting your family and putting on a wedding."

"She's convinced something will go wrong."

"Something **will** go wrong," Hunk assured them as he lifted a post. "Something always goes wrong during a wedding, but it's not going to be a catastrophe." 

"Well, with everyone here to help, it should go smoothly. I just don't want her to push herself. She was pretty beat up yesterday and she still can't walk a lot or stand for long on her ankle."

"Captain?"

Keith turned to see Koran standing in the doorway. "Yes, Koran?"

"Um, it seems we have a bit of a problem."

Keith felt his heart stop, thinking something had happened to the ship carrying his family. "What is it?"

"Well, you and the Princess ordered your wedding cake from the bakery in town."

"Yes, we ordered from the Zipners."

Koran cleared his throat, "The bakery was badly damaged in the last attack a couple of weeks ago, they are still rebuilding and the oven they ordered will not be in on time. They will not be able to finish the cake." 

"Okay," Keith sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "Let me be the one to tell Allura, this is the kind of thing that's going to stress her out even more. I'll handle it."

"There you go," Hunk said. "Something has to go wrong and if that's it, that's not a big deal."

* * *

"What do you mean you're on Fi'lak?" Keith demanded. He was standing in Castle Control after answering a page, saying the pilot of the ship getting his family to Arus was on the videophone for him.

"I'm sorry, Captain, our engine blew a cylinder and we had to land. If all goes well, we'll have the part replaced and we'll be in the air tomorrow afternoon."

"Fine," he replied resignedly. "You did the right thing, just get them here safely."

"Yes, sir."

"Keep me posted if anything else should change."

"I will, Captain."

Keith nodded and closed the connection. Okay, so now his family was coming another day late. Not a big deal. He had hoped his mother would be able to make their wedding cake, she should still have time.

He checked his watch. It had been two hours since he had last spoken to Allura, when she had gone to find Hilla. The guys were still in their bedroom putting the bed together. Pulling out his communicator he thought it was safe to call her up and not see anything he wasn't supposed to see.

Before Keith had a chance to dial her up, the door slid open and she hobbled in.

"I was just about to call you."

"What's up?" She asked, limping over to the chair beside him.

"I just spoke to the pilot of the ship bringing my family in. They had to stop over on Planet Fi'lak for repairs." 

"When will they get here?"

"Probably late tomorrow night."

"Well, that's a shame we have to wait another day, but they'll still be here in plenty of time for the wedding."

"Which is a really good thing," Keith said, rubbing the back of his neck. "We got word today that Zipners will not be able to get our wedding cake to us in time for the reception, they're still rebuilding from the last attack. So I was thinking my mother could make the cake."

Allura nodded, "If you don't think she'll mind."

"She won't."

"Well then that could be fun! Maybe I can help her."

Keith smiled and dropped a kiss on the top of her head, "Or maybe not. How're you feeling?"

She shrugged, "My ankle hurts and I'm ready to scratch the skin right off my arm, but otherwise I'm fine."

"How did the dress fitting go?"

"Good. It won't be exactly the same, but it will be beautiful. Hilla also needs to do a fitting with Romelle since I am sure her dress will need to be let out. She's going to be very busy." She yawned. 

"Why don't you go lay down, take a quick nap before dinner. I'm sure the guys are done with the bed now."

Allura shook her head, "Nanny said she wants to put clean sheets on the bed in my room and she won't get around to that until after dinner. And I need to meet with Koran."

"Don't push yourself, and I think we can put the sheets on the bed."

"No, they're in the laundry."

"No, they're in our room."

Allura smiled at him, "**Our** room. Don't you love the sound of that?"

"Yes I do," he crouched down beside her. "Come on, you can rest and we can get you settled in our room."

"I'm not staying there before we're married."

"What?"

"I'm staying in the room beside Nanny's until after the wedding."

"Why in the world are you doing that?"

"Because," she cupped his cheek with her hand. "My bed is in **our** room and I am not going to stay in **our** room without you."

He smiled, "You're insane. Why don't you go lay down in my room until dinner. You need to get off you ankle so you aren't hobbling through the ceremony."

"Alright, alright," she pushed herself to her feet. "I'm only agreeing to this because I am tired, not because you're being overprotective."

Keith chuckled, "Fine, but after next week, you have to let me be overprotective of you, I'm having Koran write that into the vows."

"Then I won't agree to marry you."

"Yeah right," he snorted. "You're stuck with me."

"I know," she sighed. "And such is my curse in life."

Keith kissed her gently, "Do you need help getting to my room?"

"No, thank you, I think I can find it."

"Smartass. You know how to get a hold of me if you need anything."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," she waved him off. "Tomorrow I get back into the stress of everything."

"We'll see."

* * *

The next few days left Keith feeling like he was barely able to keep his head above water. His mother agreed to make the cake, but Nanny was insulted that they hadn't asked her and was giving Keith the silent treatment. He was continuing daily practice while convincing Allura he could handle the wedding preparations so she could rest. It seemed as though no small detail was allowed to be taken care of without his and/or Allura's input, and since Nanny wasn't talking to Keith, it was proving to be a trying task.

Three days before the wedding found Keith in his study. Officially, he was finishing up some last minute correspondence with the Garrison so he can take a few days off for the wedding and a couple of days after. Unofficially, he was hiding from Nanny's temper, Allura's questions, his mother's well-meaning meddling, and Lance bugging him about having a bachelor party.

Allura was with Hilla and Romelle having their final fittings. The royal seamstress was working almost around the clock to finish Allura's dress and let out Romelle's to accommodate her nearly five months along pregnant belly. Sven was probably waiting outside the door, playing the obnoxiously overprotective father-to-be. Lance was on duty and Hunk and Pidge were giving the Lions their weekly once over while Koran was entertaining his family. If all went well, he should have an hour of freedom.

Groaning with frustration, Keith barked out "Come in!" when there was a knock on his door.

The door slid open to reveal a rather timid looking guard, "S-sorry to disturb you, sir."

Keith sighed, "It's alright, Private, what is it?"

"This, uh, this just came for you, sir." He held out an envelope.

"Bring it here, please."

The guard crossed the room and handed Keith the envelope. He then stood at attention in front of the Commander's desk, waiting to be dismissed.

With apprehension, Keith tore open the envelope. This could not be good. Scanning the letter, he swore quietly.

"Sir?"

"What?" He looked up and saw the guard still standing there. "Oh, you're dismissed, sorry."

The young guard saluted and turned on his heel.

Keith skimmed the letter one more time before heading over to Castle Control. He found Lance standing over the main console talking quietly to Hunk. When they saw Keith enter the room, they jumped apart and started talking in loud, false tones. Keith rolled his eyes, they still planned on giving him a bachelor party the night before his wedding, even though he had told them repeatedly he didn't want one.

"Guess what I just found out," he said walking over to them.

"What's up?" Lance asked.

Keith held the letter up, "The rings won't be ready until the day of the ceremony."

Hunk whistled under his breath, "That's cutting it a little close, isn't it?"

"Yeah, a little too close."

"Don't worry, Keith," Lance clapped a hand on his shoulder. "They'll be done, just a little late. Did they say what the holdup was?"

"Some problems with the device that engraves the rings."

"It's alright," Hunk grinned. "Everything has been working out, the cake, the dress, this will too."

"We don't have our tuxes, yet," Keith pointed out.

"They'll be delivered tomorrow, don't jinx it."

"Are stressing?" Lance teased.

"No, I am not **stressing**. Let's see how calm you are when you're getting married."

"Not gonna happen, I was born a bachelor and I will die a bachelor," Lance vowed. "Why waste time stressing about a ceremony that will forever tie me to one woman when there are so many beautiful women out there vying for my attention?"

_{{ "You didn't really say that, did you?" Becca asked her brother-in-law._

_"Oh yes he did," Keith replied._

_Lance shrugged, "What can I say? The ladies loved me."_

_Becca__ smiled and asked innocently, "So you were a man whore?" _

_Lance scowled as laughter erupted through the room, "I was not, I just enjoyed the company of women, there was nothing wrong with that. And I was not a man whore!" He turned to his wife, "Back me up here, would you?"_

_Laughing, she shook her head, "I want to see you dig yourself out of this one, lover boy."_

_"Alright, enough of this," he huffed. "I believe we were discussing the potential fiasco that was Keith and Allura's wedding."_

_"Yeah, Keith was stressing out about the wedding, mainly because he was trying to shield me from any problems and it only added to his," Allura continued, lacing her fingers through Keith's._

_"It would have been a lot easier if Nanny was speaking to me," he mumbled._

_"Come on," Paton spoke up. "I want to hear about the wedding."_

_"Vell, de night before, Keit did not vant a bachelor party," Sven explained. "So ve convinced him to just relax for de evening, put aside de stress and enjoy deir last night of freedom…}}_


	53. An Unexpected Tribute

Hi All!

Thank you for the wonderful reviews! I really appreciate them all!

T.F. Kit – Thanks for the review! As always, I am eagerly awaiting the next chapter in your story!

RL2 – What can I say…thank you so much for your support and reviews! I hope you enjoy the little twist on the traditional bachelor party I did. Keith just seems to me as the kind of guy who just isn't interested in a hardcore party :-) I'm sorry to hear about your computer and I hope you can get it fixed soon!

Me- Thank you for your reviews, I am so glad to hear you are enjoying the story. To be perfectly honest, I don't know now many more chapters there are going to be. Every time I think I am nearing the end, another idea hits. As for the children, you'll have to read my other stories for that. This is actually the fifth story in my series. The first one, _New Arrivals,_ takes place two months after Keith and Allura's wedding. Then it's _Home Sweet Home_, _Of Love and Bugs_, and _Holiday on Arus_. Not all the stories revolve entirely around K&A, the first two are mainly about Lance and Darcy, the third one about Pidge and Becca. But the entire team and their lives are chronicled in those stories as seen through my eyes.

Anony – Let me say that after seeing both my brothers get married in the same year, I can honestly say that men do feel the stress as well.

Thank you all!

Enjoy,

Failte

* * *

"I wonder what they have planned for tonight," Keith said as he and Allura made their way down to the rec room.

She smiled, "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll be painless. If it was anything bad they wouldn't have invited your mother, sister, and me."

"I know it can't be anything too bad, but with Lance at the helm, you never really know."

Allura threaded her fingers through his and kissed his cheek. It was the night before their wedding and, as far as she knew, everything was going well. She didn't know about the delay with the rings or that Adam had tried to eat most of the icing of the cake Keith's mother had finished that afternoon and she had spent two hours fixing it. She hadn't heard about the extra Garrison ships Keith had requested the week before or that there was some reported activity on Doom. All Allura knew was that her dress was done and that Keith assured her everything would be perfect.

Keith paused as they approached the open door to the rec room. He could hear voices chattering, his friends, his family, and he had the sudden urge to turn tail and run.

"Come on," his fiancée tugged on his hand.

"Do you know what they have planned?"

"No."

"Would you tell me if you did?"

"Come on, Keith! They are our friends."

With a heavy sigh of apprehension, he allowed her to pull him into the room where they were greeted by a round of applause.

A 'Congratulations' banner was strung over the fireplace, the coffee table was set with food and drinks, and every chair was taken by the guys on the Force, Sven, Romelle, Keith's mother, Isabelle, his brother Gerald and sister-in-law Allyson, and his sister, Dana.

"Don't look so terrified, man," Lance laughed when Keith entered the room. "We're here to celebrate your impending nuptials."

"_Ja_, it's not dat bad, Keit," Sven shouted from where he sat on the couch.

"Where are the kids?" Allura asked Allyson.

"Nanny is watching them, we thought this would be more of an 'adult-only' party," she explained.

"Why? What are you all up too?" Keith asked.

Lance rolled his eyes, "Oh stop it, Keith. Your mother is here, we're not going to bring in a stripper."

"I appreciate that," Isabelle said dryly.

"Yeah, Cap, chill out, have a beer." Hunk handed him a bottle.

"Thanks, Hunk," Keith took his seat next to Allura.

"So, are you ready for tomorrow?" Romelle asked her cousin.

"I am, and Keith said everything else is ready, so I think I'm ready to limp down the aisle." With her ankle still tender, Allura had a slight limp and she had to trade in her high heeled shoes for more sensible flats for the ceremony. She wasn't too happy about that since now she would only come up to Keith's chin in flats.

"You got the rings, Cap?" Pidge asked as he drank his soda.

Allura turned to Keith, "You don't have the rings?"

After shooting a withering glare at Pidge, Keith turned to Allura with a smile, "It's not a problem, hon, there was a delay at the jewelers, the rings will be ready in plenty of time."

"You don't have the rings?" She asked again, her voice rising slightly.

"It's alright, I promise, Allura. The rings will be ready and I'm sending someone down to pick them up first thing in the morning, everything will be fine."

Allura took the bottle from his hand and drank deeply.

"Whoa, whoa, watch it," Keith pulled the bottle from her hand. "You don't want to be hungover for our wedding."

"I can't believe my baby boy is getting married," Isabelle sighed.

"Hey," Dana spoke up. "You still have me."

"Yes, I do," her mother patted her arm. "And I've been planning your wedding for a few years now."

"Now we just have to find her a man," Gerald mumbled.

Allyson rolled her eyes, "Why don't we wait until she is at least eighteen."

"Yeah, besides, this is Keith and Allura's night," Lance said.

"Dat's right," Sven added. "And vhat a fun evening ve have planned."

Keith groaned.

Pidge stood and went behind the couch while Hunk crossed the room and unrolled a screen on a pole.

"What's going on?" Allura asked excitedly.

Pidge set a slide carousel on the coffee table and aimed it at the screen Hunk had finished setting up.

With a flourish, Lance turned off the lights and declared, "Keith Patrick Whitaker, this is your life!"

Keith buried his face in his hands and groaned again while Allura laughed, "This is great!"

Sven pushed a button and the carousel clicked and turned. A picture of a younger Isabelle and a man who Keith resembled filled the screen.

"It all started thirty one years ago when a young Isabelle Victoria Parker met, fell in love with and married a young Lieutenant James Keith Whitaker."

**_CLICK_** - A picture Isabelle and James with a little dark haired boy appeared.

"A year later they were blessed with a son, Gerald Parker. They lived as a happy family of three until six years later when…"

**_CLICK_** - Keith's baby picture.

"Thanks to a bottle of Jack Daniels and a broken condom, Keith was born…"

"Lance!" Isabelle said sharply.

"Aw, you're so cute," Allura whispered, kissing his cheek.

"For four years," Lance continued. "The two boys ruled the house."

**_CLICK _**-Gerald holding baby Keith on his lap.

**_CLICK_** - Keith asleep on his father's lap.

**_CLICK_** - Gerald and Keith were dressed up in little suits for a professional photograph.

**_CLICK_** - A two year old Keith naked in the bathtub. (A picture which earned various whistles and catcalls from throughout the room.)

**_CLICK_** - Keith crying and holding his leg while Isabelle cleaned his skinned knee.

"As you can see, our fearless commander wasn't always so strong and fearless."

"I was three, Lance," Keith muttered.

**_CLICK_** - Keith dressed up in child sized army fatigues.

Ignoring him, Lance went on. "Keith always had an eye on the military for his career."

**_CLICK_** - Keith asleep on the couch tucked in with an afghan.

"But the serenity of Keith's life was about to be shattered…"

**_CLICK_** - A picture of Dana in the hospital maternity ward.

"That's where the JD and broken condom came in," Gerald called out.

"Stop it," Isabelle insisted. "All three of our children were loved and wanted."

"And the Whitaker family became five."

**_CLICK_** - A family portrait of the entire family.

"And Keith went on to live a rather normal life including sports…"

**_CLICK_** - Keith dressed in a peewee football uniform.

"…his first date…"

**_CLICK_** - A fourteen year old Keith dressed up in slacks and a sweater smiling awkwardly as he stood beside a pretty young blonde girl in a red dress.

"As you can see," Lance continued. "Keith always had a thing for blondes."

"Why me?" Keith murmured as he slid further down in his seat.

**_CLICK_** - Keith dressed in his Academy uniform standing with his father, also wearing his uniform.

"Later that year, Keith went on to join the Academy."

Silence followed as everyone studied the picture. Jim Whitaker stood behind his son, his hand on his shoulder, a proud grin on his face. Allura laid her head on Keith's shoulder, feeling him tense as he remembered back on that day.

**_CLICK _** - Keith, Lance, and Sven during their first year at the Academy.

"And it was at the Academy where Keith would meet two of his best friends, Lance Collier and Sven Johansson. Lance was a suave ladies man who taught Keith all he knew about women and that helped him snag a Princess." Lance bragged.

Sven snorted.

**_CLICK_** - Keith and Sven standing beside a hospital bed where Lance laid with a cast on his arm.

"The three were inseparable, in class, on the weekends, and in sports, where I broke my arm when Keith tackled me in a game of touch football."

Keith rolled his eyes, "I didn't tackle you, I tried to help you. You weren't watching where you were going and you ran into a tree, I tried to stop you."

"Whatever makes you feel better, Keith." Lance nodded to Sven.

**_CLICK_** - Keith sitting on a couch, looking rather annoyed, and a pretty brunette sitting on his lap, her head thrown back in laughter.

"As you can see, that young lady is not a blonde, so Keith wasn't interested."

"Now wait a minute!" Keith sat up straight. "Tell the truth! I was trying to study, but you and Sven felt that I wasn't having enough fun so you came home with a couple of drunk dates and told her that I was interested in her."

"All I know is that you had a beautiful, drunk girl on your lap and all you did was escort her home."

"Good for you, Keith," Isabelle reached over to pat her son's hand.

**_CLICK_** - Keith, Sven, and Lance sitting around a table, each holding a mug of beer and grinning.

"After years of hard work, the three space explorers graduated…"

**_CLICK_** - Keith, Sven, Lance, Hunk, and Pidge in their uniforms.

"And they were teamed with two other Academy graduates to travel to a far off planet and assist a beautiful Princess."

**_CLICK_** - A picture of Allura right after the guys had arrived. She was sitting on a chair by a window, probably on the Observation Deck, her chin on her fist. Obviously, Allura had been unaware that Lance had taken a picture, as she stared out the window, the light creating dramatic shadows on her beautiful face.

Keith sucked in a sharp breath at the ethereal picture. He had never seen it before, but her innocent beauty never failed to amaze him.

Lance went on, "While we all flirted with the beautiful young woman…"

**_CLICK_** - Allura standing with Lance, a smile on their faces, his arm around her shoulders.

"…she was somehow immune to my charms…"

**_CLICK_** - Sven standing with Allura as they handed out fruit to the villagers.

"…Sven's usual suaveness didn't work…"

**_CLICK_** - Allura laughing as Hunk scooped her up into his arms at a picnic.

"…Hunk's friendliness never went beyond friendship…"

**_CLICK_** - Pidge and Allura sitting on the floor in front of the televiewer in the rec room where he was trying to teach the Princess how to play a video game.

"…and Pidge, well, Pidge is still growing into manhood."

"Oh come on," Pidge replied.

"Don't worry, little man," Lance assured him. "Stick with me and I'll make sure you're a ladykiller before too long. But as it was, none of us were able to win over the Princess. Well, one of us was…" 

**_CLICK_** - Keith stood beside Allura in Castle Control going over some papers.

"But it wasn't easy. The two of them danced around their feelings for a couple of years."

**_CLICK_** - A picture taken at a picnic. Keith was standing, leaning against a tree with his arms crossed over his chest. He was obviously watching Allura as she listened while Pidge read from a book.

**_CLICK_** - Keith and Allura working with the others as they planted the first rose bushes Keith had sent for.

**_CLICK_** - Keith glaring at Allura while she spoke with a visiting Prince.

**_CLICK_** - Allura watching wistfully as Keith spoke to Euclida at a state function.

"It was frustrating for those of us who cared about them and had to watch them endure this self-inflicted misery…"

**_CLICK_** - An obviously posed picture of Sven, Lance, Pidge, and Hunk all standing with their arms crossed over their chests looking annoyed.

"But cooler heads prevailed and our own personal genius found the answer."

**_CLICK_** - Another posed picture of Pidge holding up the book with the newly printed law written in.

"And Keith and Allura could finally be together."

**_CLICK_** - Keith and Allura locked in an intimate embrace in the corner of the Observation Deck.

"Lance!" Keith hissed, embarrassed at everyone seeing such a personal moment.

Lance ignored him and continued with his presentation. "But once they finally hooked up, there was no separating them."

**_CLICK_** - Keith and Allura holding hands as they walked by the lake.

**_CLICK_** - The happy couple dancing during one of the many lessons Nanny had insisted upon, gazing at each other, oblivious to everyone and everything around them.

**_CLICK_** - A copy of their engagement photo.

**_CLICK_** - A picture of the two of them with Sven and Romelle after their wedding.

**_CLICK_** - Allura sitting on Keith's lap, her right arm wrapped around his neck and her left hand extended toward the camera, showing off her engagement ring.

"They had a couple of rough times, but they pulled through it all stronger than ever before. And to Keith and Allura, we wish you both all the luck and love your future holds." Lance stepped aside as Sven pushed the button to bring up the final picture.

**_CLICK_** - It was of Keith and Allura facing each other, he had his arms around her waist and she had hers around his neck. Keith had lowered his head so his forehead rested against hers and they both had their eyes closed.

Keith swallowed hard, remembering that day. It had been her first battle after Lotor had taken her for six days. Blue had taken a hard hit and while she had come out of it with barely a scratch, he had been shaken badly by the thought of losing her again so soon after getting her back.

Allura sat up as Lance flipped on the lights and Sven turned off the slide machine. She wiped away a few tears with the back of her hand, "You guys amaze me. How in the world did you come up with that?"

Lance shrugged. "We had plenty of help. Since Keith didn't want a regular bachelor party, we decided to do something for both of you."

"Where did you get the pictures?" Keith asked.

"And can we get copies of some of them?" Allura quickly added.

Lance laughed as he sat down beside Dana, "We collected some from your mother and from all the time we spent together. As for all the others, my camera and I can move with the ease and stealth of a panther."

"It really did turn out beautifully," Isabelle said. "A lovely tribute."

* * *

Later that evening, after having to endure Lance, Sven, Pidge, and Hunk sharing stories with the intent of embarrassing him, Keith escorted Allura to her room.

"Just think," she whispered, squeezing his hand. "This is the last night we have before we get married. After tonight we'll be retiring every night to our room in the North Tower."

"Yup. This is it, by this time tomorrow, we will be officially married. No one can ever again try to tear us apart or come between us."

"Speaking of which, have you heard anything from Doom?"

Keith let go of her hand and wrapped his arm tightly around her shoulders, "I don't even want you to think about it. I have taken care of everything. Tomorrow will be the most amazing day of our lives, I don't want you to give it any thought."

"I know, and I love you for that, I would just feel better knowing all the details."

"Alright, well, I did request more Garrison fighters, they will be circling just above the atmosphere, making sure no one gets even close. We will have our guards and nearly one hundred and fifty Garrison men to help with the security in and around the castle. Nothing will happen. We will be married in the most beautiful, perfect wedding." He promised as they stopped in front of her door.

"I know it will," Allura slipped her arms around his neck. "Because any wedding where I get to marry you will be perfect."


	54. An Explosive Ceremony

The morning of the wedding dawned bright and beautiful. Everyone within the castle walls took this as a good sign. The ceremony was scheduled for mid afternoon, with the guests arriving late morning. A pre-ceremony reception was set up outside the castle where the guests could mingle and have drinks until they were called into the main ballroom.

Keith was in Castle Control meeting with his team, Koran, and the leaders of the Garrison squadron that had been sent. Lance had tried, unsuccessfully, to get the groom to leave the last minute guard preparations to him, but Keith just shook his head and called the meeting together.

When Romelle knocked on the door to Allura's temporary bed chambers, she found the Princess sitting on her vanity chair, her head between her knees. Keith's mother crouched beside her, rubbing her back and assuring her with comforting words.

Smiling at her cousin, Romelle crossed the room to stand beside her, "A little nervous?"

The reply was a bit muffled and shaky, "No."

"A lot nervous," Isabelle winked at Romelle.

Allura lifted her head, a slight green tinge colored her cheeks, "I don't know why I feel so sick."

"Maybe you're pregnant," Dana said from her seat on the bed.

Allura clamped a hand over her mouth and ran into the bathroom.

Allyson sighed as she finished changing Ben, "Dana, really." 

"Well she has thrown up three times already."

"She's just nervous, that was a totally inappropriate thing to say."

Romelle left the two women arguing and slipped into the bathroom where Allura was rinsing out her mouth. "Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Are you pregnant?"

Allura shook her head, "No, I'm not. I just can't wait for this to be over. I know that sounds wrong, but I want us to just be married so we can get on with our lives. Keith keeps saying that every precaution has been taken, but I am so worried that Lotor will try something."

Romelle leaned against the counter, rubbing her hand over her stomach, "It would take a miracle for him to get in."

"Or some very strong magic."

"Don't worry Allura, the entire Force as well as dozens of guards will be in the ballroom, he won't be able to get near you."

"I don't want him to come near the castle at all. I just know he is going to try and ruin my wedding."

"Try not to worry about it. You haven't heard from him in a while, maybe he will leave you alone. Don't let these worries ruin your day."

Allura looked down and saw the ring on her finger. "This is really happening, Romelle, we're getting married."

Romelle smiled, remembering how she felt the morning of her wedding. The nerves, the excitement, the love. "It will be perfect, Allura."

"And if it isn't?" Her voice trembled.

"Then you will have a great story to tell your kids."

Allura sniffled and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, "Thanks, Romelle."

"I've been there," Romelle slid an arm around her cousin's shoulders. "Come on, before Isabelle starts to think you are pregnant."

....................................................................

Keith paced the ballroom, checking and rechecking the entrances and exits. Nothing was going to ruin this day for them. Allura was going to have the wedding of her dreams and if Lotor even gave thought to approaching Arus, Keith would kill him with his bare hands.

"Keith."

He turned to see Lance standing beside the altar. "Glad to see you're here, Lance. Koran told me that the Garrison scouting ships are in place, but I was thinking about taking Black up and scanning the area one more time. You could go up with Red, we could cover more ground that way…"

"Keith…"

"And then I want to meet with Captain O'Hurley, he's in charge of the Garrison troops on the ground, I want to make sure he has enough men along the perimeter of the woods to make sure no one tries to get in that way…"

"Keith…"

"The guests should be arriving within an hour, we have to make sure the food is set up out there. The ceremony is going to be long. After we're married, the ceremony to officially crown Allura as queen will take at least an hour. We don't want people hungry and uncomfortable…"

Lance reached out and grabbed Keith roughly by the shoulders, "Keith! Stop it!"

"What?"

"Calm down."

"I'm calm."

"No, you're not. You deal with your nervous energy by throwing yourself into work, well, that's how you deal with everything. It's your wedding day, man, chill out. Everything will go fine. Nanny is taking care of the food and the guests, Koran has the ceremony under control, the guys and I are helping with the security. Calm down, relax."

Keith took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "It's my wedding day."

"Yeah, it is."

"My God, Lance, I'm getting married today."

"Yup."

"To Allura."

"I certainly hope so."

Feeling a little lightheaded, Keith sat down on one of the folding chair set up for the guests, "I can't believe this is really happening. It seems so unreal."

Lance sat down beside him, "You okay?"

"Yeah, I just…wow. Have you seen Allura?"

"No. None of us have been allowed near her today. Romelle, your mother, Dana, Allyson, and Nanny have been with her."

"I'm getting married," he repeated quietly. "I don't think it's going to actually sink in until after the ceremony."

"Hell, Keith, I thought you and I would be the last of the bachelors. You married to your job and me, well, no woman could ever tie me down."

"You just haven't met the right one. I never thought when I arrived here that I would meet the love of my life."

"Alright, man, you're starting to sound like a Hallmark card."

Keith stood and started pacing, "Think about it, Lance, tonight Allura and I will be married. Every night I will go to sleep with her and every morning I will wake up beside her. No matter where I go, I will come home, here, to my wife."

"Kinda scary," he mumbled.

"No, Lance, it's not. It's amazing. I am so excited, but…" 

"But what?"

"What if we're rushing into this?" He moved quickly, back and forth in front of the chairs. "What if a couple of years down the road, Allura wakes up one morning and realizes she is married to me, a military man with no money or breeding and sees it was all a huge mistake?"

Lance rolled his eyes, "Fine, then don't marry her."

Keith stopped in his tracks and turned to him, "What?"

"I'm pretty sure you addressed these questions before and I thought you had your answers. Since you obviously don't, then call off the wedding."

"You're not helping Lance."

"You're being an idiot. You and Allura were made for each other."

Keith took a deep breath and nodded.

"Come on," Lance stood and threw an arm around his friend's shoulders. "Let's get a drink, I think you could use one about now."

..........................................................................................

"You're a fool," Haggar hissed.

Lotor wanted nothing more than to strike the witch, but he wasn't that stupid. Not only would Haggar retaliate, he needed her as well. "I know what I'm doing," he growled.

"The Captain will not allow you anywhere near the castle or the Princess. Security is tripled and Kadmus is there. You will not be able to get in."

"I cannot allow this sham of a marriage to take place. She belongs with me!"

"She belongs with the Captain."

Lotor's hand rose quickly, but he stopped mere inches from the witch's head, "Don't tempt me, witch."

She cackled, "I am not afraid of you. You need me."

The Doomian snarled and whirled away from her, "Then you will do this for me."

"Only because you amuse me, Lotor."

.............................................................................................

"The guests are arriving," Nanny announced as she swept into Allura's room carrying her wedding dress. "The boys are entertaining them out by the lake."

"Have you seen Keith?" The young Princess turned in her chair where a maid was working on her hair.

"I believe Lt. Collier is trying to keep him calm," she told her as she pulled the dress from its garment bag.

"Oh Allura," Isabelle gasped. "Your dress is so beautiful!"

"Just a moment, your highness," the maid said as Allura tried to stand. "I'm almost done, Ma'am."

Isabelle held the dress up for everyone to see while Romelle slipped a tissue into Allura's shaking hand.

"Ma," Dana walked into the room. "Lance asked me to come and get you."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, he just wants to ask you a question."

"Alright, I do want to see how Keith is holding up," she followed her daughter out of the room. "My baby boy is getting married."

"Hello, is everyvon decent?" Sven called as he stuck his head inside the door.

"What are you doing here?" Romelle chided. "No men allowed."

"I just came to make sure you veren't pushing yourself too hard," he said wandering in. "And Koran said he needed to see you, Nanny."

"Oh, I bet it's the salad, I was so afraid we wouldn't be able to get the vegetables." Throwing her hands into the air, Nanny stormed out of the room, waving her arms and muttering about lettuce.

"Come along, _Elske_," Sven took Romelle's hands. "Dere is somevon I vant you to meet."

"Who?"

"My former commanding officer, he and his vife just arrived." Sven winked at Allura, "She'll be back soon."

Allura nodded, twisting a tissue in her hands. Suddenly she was alone with Gallia, her maid.

"Are you okay, Ma'am?" Gallia asked as she put away the unused hairpins.

"I'm…I'm fine," she got to her feet and crossed to where Isabelle had hung her dress on the back of the closet door. "I'm a little nervous and excited and overwhelmed." Allura fingered the lace sleeve.

Gallia smiled, "You will be a beautiful bride, your highness."

"Thank you, Gallia, thank you so much for all your help," the Princess crossed to take the girl's hands in hers.

"It's been my pleasure, your highness."

Allura jumped at the knock on the door. "Who is it?"

There was no answer, instead the door slid open and Keith slipped in.

"What are you doing here?" She gasped, shifting her gaze to her dress. "You can't be here."

"I just wanted to see you," he whispered, crossing the room to her. "How are you doing?"

Allura looked over at her maid, "Gallia, could you please, uh, keep watch?"

With a smile, she nodded and quietly crept from the room.

"This is bad luck," she whispered.

"I'm not worried," he smiled down at her, slipping his arms around her waist. "We've had our share of bad luck in the past and we've come through it alright."

"If Nanny catches you here, she'll skin you alive."

"Stop worrying," Keith dipped his head to kiss her. "I was only able to steal a few moments with you and I don't want to waste them fighting."

"I'm sure you can come up with other ways to use the time," she murmured, tilted her head back as he trailed kisses down her throat.

He tugged gently on the lapel of her robe, "What are you wearing under this?"

Taking his hand in hers, Allura smiled mischievously, "You'll find out tonight."

Keith groaned softly and rested his forehead against hers, "I love you so much."

"I love you too."

He pulled her closer and rested his chin on top of her head, "How's your day going so far?"

"Great."

"Yeah?"

"I'm really excited."

"Me too."

She tightened her arms around him, "Any sign from Lotor?"

"No. Don't worry, nothing will happen, I promise. This will be the most amazing day of our lives."

"I know," she sniffled.

Keith leaned back and tipped her chin back with his fingers, "What's wrong, sweetheart?"

"Nothing…everything…I don't know. I love you."

"Three hours, beautiful, and it'll all be over."

"No, it will all just be starting," she whispered, stepping on her toes and brushing her lips over his.

...........................................................................................

Lotor paced his throne room, waiting for word from Haggar. Allura would never marry that…that _man_. He shuddered. For as long as he could remember, his father had promised him Allura.

Zarkon realized from the moment Lotor had reached puberty that his son wanted the young daughter of Arus. He was able to convince his son to do anything just by reminding him that he would one day have Allura. After years of promises and hard work, Lotor knew she belonged to him and that it was totally unacceptable for the Captain to be so much as looking at her.

She belonged to him. They would pay.

He turned when he heard the swish of her cloak. "Did you succeed?"

"Of course," she hissed.

"Good."

.................................................................................................

"I'll see you," Keith promised as he stole one last kiss.

"Good bye, love," Allura whispered, pleased with herself.

Keith winked at Gallia and brought his finger to his lips, asking for her silence. The young maid nodded, giggling softly, before returning to Allura's room.

"Feel better?" Lance asked when Keith joined him outside.

Keith grinned as his brother ran by trying to catch his son, "Yeah, I do."

"Okay, you've seen her, she's fine, will you calm down now?"

"Is Pidge back with the rings yet?"

"Uh, no."

"What's taking so long?"

Lance shrugged.

"Oh, Keith!"

He turned to see his mother. "Hey, Ma."

"Oh, how are you? I've been looking all over for you." She hugged him tightly. "My baby boy! Oh, you're getting married!"

"I'm fine, Mom, really."

Isabelle stepped back and held him at arm's length, "Isn't it about time you went and put your tux on?"

"I still have time and I want to do another quick sweep before I change."

Lance rolled his eyes, "We have it all taken care of, man, you need to relax. The Garrison gave you the day off, enjoy it."

"I don't think he can do that," Isabelle sighed.

"Well, excuse me if I want my wedding day to go off without a problem. I want Allura to have the perfect wedding."

"Commander?"

Keith and Lance turned to see Captain O'Hurley. "Yes, Captain?"

"Can I speak with you, please?"

Keith turned to his mother, "Mom, would you go see if Allura needs anything."

"Sure," she kissed his cheek.

"What is it?" He asked, lowering his voice so as to not alert anyone around them.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but you asked to be alerted if we found anything unusual."

"Yes."

"One of my men found a device planted near the castle."

"Show me," Keith commanded.

Captain O'Hurley led them away from the crowd and over to where two Garrison guards stood near a clump of bushes. Using a stick, O'Hurley carefully pushed aside some lower branches and exposed a small black box with a small blinking orange light.

Keith swore under his breath, "Have you found any more?"

"Not yet, we're looking."

"Alright," he turned to Lance. "I want you to get Koran and have him get everyone into the castle, it's safer in there. Have him do it now and without raising any suspicions. Then go find Sergeant Sorrell, tell him we need him in full gear to dispose of a possible explosive. Then I went you back here to help us look. I'm going to call Hunk and have him bring out some of the bomb boxes. We'll get this packed into one and into the work room where it can be disarmed safely."

Lance nodded and took off in the direction of the party.

Keith dialed up Hunk on his communicator and gave him his orders before turning back to O'Hurley. "Have you found any others?"

"I have men looking. You think it's a bomb?"

"We're not taking any chances. We'll pack it into an explosives box and take it to the work room, we'll detonate it there." Keith waved to Hunk as he jogged over with two large black boxes and a man in full protective gear.

Keith directed everyone where to look and split all the men up into groups of ten and sent them out to search. An hour later, three more devices were found, packed in explosive boxes, and carefully carried into the workroom.

"Come on, Keit," Sven took his arm. "You need to get ready."

"I just want to…"

Sven tightened his grip, "No, dis is being taken care of. You need to get dressed."

"But…"

"Go, Keith," Lance appeared at his side. "Sorrell is going to detonate whatever that is, he's the best at what he does and you know it. As soon as we know what it is, we'll tell you."

"I want to…"

"You have just over an hour until the ceremony is set to start," Lance said. "Go."

"Come on," Sven pulled on his arm. "Ve also need to find Pidge."

"Oh no, the rings," Keith groaned.

"_Ja_, come on, let's go find him."

...............................................................................................

"I thought you said they wouldn't find them," Lotor growled when Haggar told him of the discovery made on Arus.

"I planted a few where they would be found, let them think they found them all."

A thin smile spread across his lips, "So there is still one hidden?"

"Two."

"Don't let me down, witch."

Two rows of jagged yellow teeth were bared as she curled her lips back in what resembled a frightening smile.

........................................................................................................

"Alright, Keith," Lance walked into his room as Keith slid his arms into the arms of his jacket. "We have swept the area twice and have found nothing else. Sorrell said they were primitive, small bombs that might have shaken the building and knocked a few dishes over, but no serious damage."

Keith let out a long breath, "Thanks, man. Pidge just called up, he's on his way."

"Did he say what took so long?"

"They couldn't do the engraving until this morning."

"Alright," Sven looked at his watch. "T-minus twenty minutes."

The door slid open and Pidge came running in, out of breath, and bent over, clutching a stitch in his side. "Here!" He thrust the small box into Keith's hand before falling back onto the bed.

"Don't get comfortable," Lance told him. "You need to go get dressed."

"Leave me alone."

"It's alright, Pidge, you can have ten minutes," Keith told him with a smile on his lips as he opened the top of the box. He couldn't help but notice the difference in sizes, one was so tiny and delicate, the other thicker and larger.

"You alright?" Sven whispered.

"Yeah."

"The guests are all seated," Hunk announced as he entered the room. "Sorrell has safely detonated the bombs and we are ready to get this show on the road."

Keith handed the box to Lance and took a deep breath, "Let's go."

.................................................................................................

"Oh, you look so beautiful," Romelle breathed as Allura turned to face her.

Nanny wiped a tear away from her eye, "You really do, Princess, absolutely gorgeous. Your parents would be so proud."

"Allura," Isabelle took her soon-to-be daughter-in-law's hands in her own. "I am so happy for you and Keith. I just know this will be the perfect wedding. I'm going to go and make sure my son is alright."

Allyson and Dana carefully hugged the newest member of their family and followed Isabelle, leaving Allura alone with Romelle, Nanny, and Gallia. Allura turned in front of the mirror, her heart racing and her eyes moistening. The dress wasn't exactly the same, the lace was a different pattern, the collar was different, and the train was a little longer. But it was so beautiful.

"Princess?"

She looked up to see Nanny in front of her, holding out a large, flat jewelry box. "Yes?"

"This belonged to your mother and I know she would be so pleased to know you are wearing it on your wedding day." With trembling fingers, the older woman opened the lid and held it out for her to see.

Allura gasped. Lying on the bed of cotton was a tiered diamond collar necklace.

"It was given to her by her parents on her wedding day," Nanny explained, lifting it out of the box. "It was made to match the crown she wore for the ceremony."

She turned so Nanny could clasp the necklace around her slender throat. Romelle watched, clasping her hands together, her eyes moist.

"You look so lovely," Nanny sighed, straightening the crown nestled against the curls piled on top of her head and pulled the veil down over her face.

"I feel lovely," the Princess sighed. "I feel lovely and loved and really happy."

"Your highness?"

She turned to see a guard standing in the doorway. "Yes?"

"It's time to head downstairs, Ma'am."

.....................................................................................

Keith concentrated on breathing. **Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out**.

He heard Lance chuckle beside him and ignored him. **In.**** Out. In. Out.**

He watched as Hunk and Pidge escorted his mother and sister to their seats. **In.**** Out. In. Out.**

His mother sat in the first row, clutching a handkerchief. Dana sat between her and his brother. Adam sat between his parents, he was behaving so well that Keith knew Gerald had bribed him with something. And Ben sat on Allyson's lap. **In. Out. In. Out.**

Hunk escorted Nanny down and she sat in the front row on the other side of the aisle. **In.**** Out. In. Out. **

His heart was racing to fast, so hard, he knew Lance could hear it. **In.**** Out. In. Out.**

Sven and Romelle came down the aisle arm in arm. Romelle smiled softly at Keith as she approached the altar and stepped to the side. **In.**** Out. In. Out. **

The quiet strings of the quartet who sat in the corner suddenly swelled and the entire congregation rose. His eyes started at the pink runner with rose petals sprinkled over it and slowly he raised them up the aisle until he saw her standing there in the doorway of the ballroom. He forgot to breathe.

She was a vision in white lace and organza. Her hair a mass of loose curls that started at the top and tumbled down to her shoulders. A veil was held in place with her crown and he could just barely make out her face behind it. He could see the bouquet of yellow and white roses quiver slightly as her hands shook.

Everyone else in the room disappeared around them. The quiet murmurs of the gathered guests, the melodic strings of the quartet, the clicking of the photographers camera, all sounds were muted as he watched her move slowly toward him, limping slightly, still favoring her injured ankle.

Allura felt her entire body tremble as she moved. Somehow, her mind was telling her feet to move forward. All one hundred guests were watching her. Her friends and loved ones had their eyes glued to her. But she saw only him. His face an open picture of love and devotion. So intent in keeping her eyes on him and just making it up the aisle, she misjudged a step and stumbled. Keith automatically stepped forward to help her, but she caught herself with the help of a gentleman in the fourth row. She smiled sheepishly and thanked him, glad that the veil was there to hide her red face.

Keith did step down to meet her and take her hand, helping her take the step up to stand with him in front of the altar.

"You okay?" He whispered as they turned to face Koran.

"I can't believe I just tripped walking down the aisle," she whispered back.

"You looked graceful doing it."

A quiet, nervous giggle escaped from beneath the veil. Keith squeezed her hand.

Koran smiled down at the two young people in front of him. He swallowed hard, suddenly realizing it was his girl he was about to give to the Captain. Coughing quietly to try and clear the emotion from his throat, he began.

"We are gathered her today for the joyous occasion of joining Her Royal Highness Princess Allura Arianna Aerwyn and Captain Keith Patrick Whitaker in the union of marriage. This not an institution to be entered into lightly and anyone who knows what the Princess and the Captain have been through to get to this point knows they deserve the happiness we all know will come from this union.

"This also a great day for the planet of Arus. With this marriage, the Princess will be crowned Queen of Arus, with Captain Whitaker ruling at her side as Prince Consort. They have both shown their strength in leadership and Arus can only grow strong as they rule together."

He looked at his charge and smiled kindly down at her, "Take her hand in yours, Captain."

Allura handed her bouquet to Romelle and turned to face Keith. He gently lifted her veil and uncovered her face. He ducked his head and whispered as he took her hands, "I want to be able to see you."

She bit her lip and nodded.

"Do you, Keith Patrick Whitaker, take Her Royal Highness Princess Allura Arianna Aerwyn to love, honor and cherish for all of the days of your life?"

"I do," he replied, his eyes locked on Allura's.

"May we have the ring, please."

Lance pulled the ring out of his pocket and handed it to Koran.

"Take this ring as a symbol of the never ending bond you two will share for the rest of your lives. Take this ring and repeat after me, Captain."

Keith took the tiny ring in his fingers and held it over the third finger of Allura's left hand. He repeated the promise Koran recited for him. "With this ring I pledge my love and my life to you for as long as I shall live."

Koran took Keith's ring from Lance and repeated the significance of it before handing it to Allura. With a shaky voice, the Princess repeated the vow. "With this ring, I pledge my love and my life to you for as long as I shall live."

With shaking hands, she pushed the ring onto his finger, squeezing his hand tightly.

"What has been joined together today in front of friends and loved ones, let no one come between." He smiled at Keith, "You may kiss your bride."

Keith looked down at Allura, gently cupping her cheek with his hand as he lowered his mouth to hers. As he pulled back, a tear slipped from her eye as she smiled at him.

"I love you," he whispered.

"Love you too."

"Your highness," Koran interrupted them. "If you will please be seated we will continue with your crowning."

Hand in hand, the young couple crossed to sit on the elaborate thrones behind the altar. Koran pulled out the large book of Arusian history. He had a proclamation to read, followed by Allura accepting the responsibility of becoming Queen, and then she would bestow the title of Prince Consort onto Keith.

Lance and Romelle both took their seats as this part of the ceremony would take too long to stay standing. Feeling sentimental, Romelle leaned against her husband as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pressed a kiss to her head.

"Ours is a society that understands and appreciates the importance of family and love," Koran began as he read from the ancient book in front of him. "As Princess Allura comes of age, weds and starts her own family, she will become the official ruler of Arus, ruling on her own, no longer requiring advisors, unless she appoints them on her own. Over the years, Her Royal Highness has proven herself to be…"

An explosion rocked the castle knocking over flower arrangements, dumping a few guests on the floor and causing Koran to lose his balance and topple over.

Keith helped Allura to her feet while pulling out his communicator. Allura hurried over to help Koran up while Lance, Hunk, and Pidge tired to keep the calm and Sven helped Romelle to her feet.

"What's going on?" Keith barked into his communicator when O'Hurley answered.

"We're looking into it now, Captain, but it looks like an explosion below the castle."

"Inside or outside?"

"We think it was outside."

"Alright. The Castle of Lions can withstand the explosion. I'm going to get all the guests to safety and then I'll meet up with you in Castle Control, I want a full report."

"Yes, sir."

Keith snapped his communicator shut and turned to face the loud, confused crowd. Slipping two finger into his mouth, he let out a shrill, ear-splitting whistle. Silence instantly descended upon the ballroom. "Excuse me, everyone! I am going to ask you all to follow the guards down to safe rooms. I can assure you that you will be just fine as long as you cooperate! As soon as we know what is going on, we will tell you." He waved over some guards and gave them instructions to lead the guests down to reinforced safe rooms deep within the castle.

"Sven," Keith walked over to him. "Take Romelle down with the others, we'll keep you posted."

"Tank you Keit."

"What's the plan?" Lance asked as the guests were ushered from the room.

"Let's go to Castle Control and see what they've found so far," Keith said as the others gathered around him.

Allura took his hand as they hurried down the hall, "They don't know what that was?"

He shook his head, "Some wedding, huh?"

"Let's just hope that this isn't a sign as to how the whole marriage is going to go," she muttered as another explosion rocked the castle, sending them all sprawling to the floor.


	55. Just An Annoying Disturbance

"Are you alright?" Keith asked, helping his new wife to her feet.

Her ankle hurt, but she wasn't about to give him anything else to worry about. "Yeah, I'm fine."

They hurried to Castle Control where they met up with Captain O'Hurley and the guards on duty.

"What have you found?" Keith asked.

"Two explosions," O'Hurley explained. "Outside the castle, shook the foundation, but there was no sign of major damage."

"Alright, Lance, you and I are going to go down and check it out…"

"No!" Allura interrupted him.

Keith looked down at her, "What?"

"Don't go down there."

"Why not?"

She clutched his hands in hers. "I have a really bad feeling about this, Keith. We finally got married, I can't lose you now."

He smiled softly, "You're not going to lose me, Allura, I'm just going to check out the damage and come right back. If we find the explosive device, we can piece it back together and figure out where it came from."

"We know where it came from."

"Allura..."

"Keith, get Kadmus."

"What? Why?"

"I just have a really bad feeling about this, please," she pleaded, squeezing his hands so tightly her nails were cutting into his skin.

"Okay, fine," he turned to his men. "Uh, Hunk, go find Kadmus, tell him I need to speak with him. He should be with the others in the safe rooms."

Hunk saluted and rushed from the room.

"Pidge, get online, make sure the shields are all fully operational. Lance, help O'Hurley with the damage report." Keith turned to Allura and lowered his voice, "I'm sorry about this."

"It's not your fault, Keith."

"But with all the precautions we took, this should not have happened."

"He's very determined and very pissed off."

"I should have just shot him when I had the chance."

Smiling, she slipped her arms around him, "But if you didn't follow everything by the books, you wouldn't be the Keith we all know and love."

He hugged her, "It was silly to think **our** wedding would go off without a hitch."

"Ahem."

Keith turned his head to see Hunk standing beside them with Kadmus. Releasing her from his grasp, Keith turned to the older man, his arm still wrapped tightly around Allura's shoulders, "You guys got here fast."

"Kadmus was on his way up here," Hunk explained. "I met him in the hall."

"Captain," the wizard's high pitched voice had taken on an unusual urgency. "There is dangerous magic here."

"What do you mean?"

"I can feel it, Captain, dangerous magic has been released nearby."

"Where? How?"

"We need to find where those explosions took place."

Keith nodded, "We believe they were outside the castle."

The old man nodded, "Come with me, Captain."

"Allura, stay here," her husband instructed before turning to his men. "Lance, O'Hurley you're coming with me. I want at least six other men as well. Hunk, you stay here, but be ready to come if we need you."

Hunk saluted, "Aye, Captain."

"The shields were shaken, Keith," Pidge called from his station. "It'll take me a few minutes to get them back up to full power."

"Just do it," Keith shouted as he led the way out of the room.

Allura pulled the veil from her head and angrily threw it on the counter.

"Your highness," Koran walked over to her. "Everything will be fine."

"Why today? Why our wedding?"

"You know why."

"I hope they find him and shoot him."

"Princess!"

"I'm so sick of this Koran! I just want him out of our lives!"

………………...............................................

Keith jogged down to a side entrance where they suspected the first explosion to have come from. He was slowed by Kadmus, who insisted on coming along. Lance was at his side and they were followed by O'Hurley, the guards, and Kadmus.

"Over here, Captain," Kadmus pointed out toward the side of the castle by the West Tower.

"What is it?" Keith asked.

"A disturbance. They have broken through my wards," Kadmus explained.

"But how?"

"If she can get on the grounds to plant specially made explosives, they can break through the wards, but only for short periods of time."

Keith looked at him, confused, "What?"

"Over there, see," he raised a wrinkled brown hand and pointed to a spot just beside the castle. "Notice the air."

The air was unnaturally wavy, like watching heat rise off hot pavement. Keith moved forward to examine it, but Kadmus stopped him.

"No, Captain, it is a portal. Haggar opened a portal, probably two by the sound of the explosions."

"Which means Lotor is here."

"But he has a very short time before he is trapped here and once the portal closes, he will have to travel outside the wards for Haggar to help him out."

Keith unholstered his weapon and began to visually sweep the area, "But how did…"

"Captain! Over here!"

He whirled around to see Lance and O'Hurley, weapons drawn, pointing them at Lotor. The Doom ruler stood, his head held high, and his arms crossed over his chest, looking rather annoyed.

With a resigned sigh, Keith walked over, "What do you think you're doing, Lotor? I don't think you got an invitation to the wedding."

"I cannot allow this marriage to happen."

Laughter erupted from within Keith as Lance and O'Hurley lowered their weapons.

"You find this funny, Captain?"

Keith held up his left hand, "You're a little late, Lotor."

Lotor's eyes narrowed and his face darkened, "No."

"Yup," he stepped closer. "And to make all this even better, you are here alone, surrounded."

"I need only to send one signal and I will have my men here within seconds."

"Then you will be attacking a castle full of guests, including a few high ranking Garrison officials. So this time, after we defeat you, the Garrison will have proof of your blatant disregard for the Intergalactic Rules of Warfare. Not to mention the fact that we can kill you in less than a second, well before any of your men could get here." Keith watched the anger play out on Lotor's face.

"You have no idea of what I am capable of," Lotor said, his voice higher than usual.

"Right now, you're capable of nothing."

"Haggar…"

"Is worthless right now," Kadmus interrupted.

"Who are you?" Lotor asked, his lip curled in disgust.

"Enough of this," Keith grabbed Lotor and whirled him around, shoving his face roughly against the trunk of a tree, his blaster pressed against the back of his skull. "O'Hurley, I want him secured and taken to the dungeons. He is to be off my planet before nightfall."

"Yes, sir," the Garrison Captain pulled out a pair of restraints and nodded to two of his men. Together the three of them restrained Lotor and dragged him toward the castle, followed by the rest of the guards.

Keith turned to Kadmus, "How sure are we that Haggar won't get to him?"

"I was able to close the portals. Haggar cannot work magic within the wards, she would have to arrive on the planet outside of the wards and make her way undetected into the castle."

"Which would be nearly impossible."

"Or there would have to be more of her portal opening devices on the grounds."

"And any ships that she might send would have to get through the scout ships and our radars," Lance pointed out.

Keith scratched his chin, "But how did they get those explosives on the castle grounds in the first place?"

Lance shrugged, "They could have come from outside the wards and snuck onto the grounds."

"Alright, I want a full sweep of the grounds, go at least three miles past the wards," Keith instructed. "Any Doom soldiers found are to be arrested on the spot, shoot only in self defense. Any more of those devices are to be handled only by Kadmus. I want a full report before supper."

Lance grinned and shook his head, "Nope, you're on your honeymoon, man. I'll take care of the sweep and you'll see the reports the day after tomorrow."

"Lance…"

"Nope."

"That was an order."

"Don't care."

"I can have you courtmartialed."

"Not while you're on vacation."

"If Allura's in danger…"

"You'll be the first to know."

Keith sighed and ran a hand through his hair as Kadmus chuckled.

"Come on, Keith," Lance slung his arm around his friend's shoulders. "Lotor is in custody, you have a ceremony to finish and a honeymoon to start. If there is anything you need to know, I will tell you. But leave the legwork and paperwork to me."

"Fine, just get the sweep started now. We need to know if Lotor has men in the woods."

"The sooner you quit arguing with me, the sooner I can get started."

Keith nodded and turned toward the castle, but stopped after a few steps, "I won't be able to relax until I know what you find."

Lance rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll slip a copy of the report under your door."

"Thanks, Lance."

……...…………………………………..

An hour later, the guests were back in the ballroom so Koran could finish the crowning ceremony. Lance, Hunk, and Pidge were not in attendance as they were still overseeing the search of the castle grounds.

"Given the events of the day," Koran began. "The Princess and I believe that an abbreviated ceremony would be appropriate. So, your highness, if you would please."

Allura rose from her seat on the throne and stepped down to stand beside Koran, Keith just behind her.

"As the daughter of His Royal Highness King Alfor and Her Royal Highness Queen Arianna Arewyn, you, Her Royal Highness Princess Allura Arianna Aerwyn Whitaker, are legally, historically next in line to be crowned ruler of the Planet Arus. You have proven over the years to be a worthy leader, keeping your people and your planet together during war. You have shown through your work with the Voltron Force that you are capable of protecting Arus and its people. You have demonstrated strength, intelligence, and grace under the pressures of ruling a planet." Koran stopped and took a deep breath. The weight of what he was doing suddenly settled on him and he found himself feeling emotional.

Allura smiled softly and reached over to take Keith's hand in hers.

Koran continued, "Do you, Princess Allura Arianna Aerwyn Whitaker, agree to freely accept the responsibilities of ruling as Queen over the Planet of Arus?"

"I do," she replied loudly, clearly.

He turned to a large, jewel encrusted trunk on a table behind the altar. Unlatching three locks, Koran pushed open the lid, revealing a large, antique crown. It was an elaborate coronet of antiqued gold in three tiers with diamonds, emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and onyx intertwined with etchings of lions. Allura knelt before him as he gently laid the crown on her head.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Koran announced, turning to the assembled crowd. "May I now present to you, Her Royal Highness, **Queen** Allura Arianna Arewyn Whitaker, Queen of Arus, and her escort, Prince Consort Keith Patrick Whitaker."

Feeling more than a little silly, Keith stepped up to stand beside Allura as applause greeted them. He saw his mother wipe a tear away and his brother whistled. Allura took his hand and squeezed it gently.

………………………………………………….

"I can't believe it's over!" Allura squealed, falling back on their bed.

The banquet had only lasted three hours, most of the guests anxious to return home after what had happened earlier. Deciding that the need to be alone overshadowed the need to party, the newlyweds retired to their room early. Allura's hope of being swept into the room and having Keith make slow passionate love to her was put on hold when he saw Lance's preliminary report lying on the floor outside their room.

"What does it say?" She asked, sitting up on the bed.

"They found two squadrons of Doom soldiers, some fire was exchanged, no major injuries, none on our side. All the Doom soldiers were taken into custody and will be transported to a Garrison prison." He read. "No sign from Haggar, no more explosive devices were found. Kadmus is going to go with them when the Garrison transports Lotor to the maximum security prison on Luna."

"When are they going to leave?"

Keith checked his watch, "They should be leaving within the hour."

"Good."

He snorted.

"What is it?"

"Lance. At the end of the report he tells me to not even bother asking for more information because he won't tell me until after our honeymoon."

Allura stood and crossed to stand beside him, reading over his shoulder, "I can't believe he put that in there. That goes to the Garrison, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, it does. He's nuts."

She shook her head, "Do you think everything is alright now?"

"Yeah," he closed the report and set it on the desk. "If anything comes up he knows to tell me."

Allura slid her arms around his neck, "Then we can let Lance take care of it and enjoy tonight."

"Yeah, I guess we can do that," he smiled softly, pulling her close to him.

"So, does it feel any different being married to a Queen?"

"Not really."

"No?"

He dipped his head to kiss her gently. "Does it feel any different being married to a Prince Consort?"

Smiling, she pushed his jacket off his shoulders, "Yes."

"How so?" Keith started pulling out her hairpins and watching the blonde curls fall past her shoulders.

"Well, it's not necessarily being married to a Prince Consort that feels different," she admitted as she pulled his shirt from the waist of his pants and started to slowly unbutton it. "But now that I'm married, I feel older, more mature. I feel safe in our relationship…"

"You feel safe in our relationship?" He interrupted, confused by her comment.

"Yeah," Allura shrugged, not meeting his eyes as she toyed with the buttons on his shirt. "It now feels like nothing can really come between us."

Keith brought his hand to her chin and tipped her head back so he could see her face, "Nothing was ever going to come between us."

"I don't just mean Lotor. What if Koran had found a reason for us to not be together? What if someone tried to claim the law we wrote wasn't legal and we couldn't marry? What if…"

Keith silenced her with a kiss, fisting his hand in her hair and holding her tightly against him. "Baby, nothing was going to come between us, ever," he whispered when they broke apart. "I didn't know you were worried about that."

She laid her head on his shoulder, "I could never be too sure."

Taking her hands in his, Keith stepped back and looked down at her, "I wish you would have told me about that."

"It was nothing, it was silly."

"If it worries you, it isn't silly. You know you can come to me about anything, right?"

She smiled up at him, "I know. I love you."

"I love you too and you are so beautiful," he said holding their arms out so he could look at her in all her bridal beauty.

"Why, thank you."

"But you're going to have to lose the dress."

Allura laughed, "I was hoping you'd be a little more romantic on our wedding night."

"Oh, I can show you romance," Keith swept her up into his arms and carried her over to their massive, four poster bed, carefully laying her down. "I love you, Mrs. Whitaker," he breathed, kissing her gently on the lips before moving down to her throat.

"I love you, Mr. Aerwyn."

He lifted his head and raised an eyebrow, "Excuse me?"

Smiling mischievously, she slid her hand from behind his neck and down his chest.

Keith grabbed her hand before she brushed his scar, "No."

"Why?"

"Because I want tonight, our first night as husband and wife, to be us together, not because of…because of magic, but because we love each other."

Allura felt her heart race, overcome with intense feelings. Cupping his face in her hands, she brought his mouth down to hers in a tender kiss.

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**AN: **Just a little note to let you know that this is technically the last chapter. Don't worry, I'm not ending it here, there will be an epilogue coming soon. This was the last chapter in the flashback and the epilogue will be back in the present day on Keith and Allura's tenth anniversary.

Thanks for all your awesome reviews!! I really appreciate them all!! 

Failte


	56. Epilogue: Ten Years Together

**Back to the present day, Keith and Allura's 10th Anniversary…**

"Wow," Becca sighed as she stretched her arms above her head. "You guys had quite a ride getting to this point, didn't you?"

"It was tough sometimes," Allura agreed.

"But it was worth it all," Keith added.

"But what happened with Lotor?" Darcy asked. "He obviously got away, did Haggar break him out?"

Keith scowled, "No, he was let out on a technicality."

"And here we are," Allura stood and stretched her arms out on either side. "Ten years and four children later, we're here and still together."

"Well, not for much longer," Keith said, grabbing her around the waist and pulling her onto his lap.

"Vhat? Are you planning on breaking up?" Sven asked.

"Not that," Allura grinned, wrapping her arms around Keith's neck. "The number of children is going to change in about seven and a half months."

It was, of course, Lance who broke the shocked silence. "You have got to be shitting me!"

Darcy smacked his arm, "Don't swear. Allura, Keith congratulations!"

Everyone stood, hugs and kisses were shared among shouts of congratulations.

"Baby number five," Lance grinned, throwing his arm around Keith's shoulders. "You are a machine, man."

Darcy rolled his eyes, "Try not to be so crass, Lance."

"Have you told the kids yet?" Romelle asked.

Allura nodded, "Yes, they all know and I think they're pretty excited."

"Well buddy," Hunk playfully punched Pidge in the arm. "It's your turn. When are you and Becs gonna grace us with a little one?"

"Hunk," Paton chided him. "Don't start with that, they don't need you trying to pressure them."

"We don't cave to peer pressure," Pidge assured her, pulling Becca close. "When we're ready we'll grace you all with the presence of a beautiful, genius child."

"Do you think we'll be ready in about six or seven months?" His wife whispered to him.

Once again silence descended upon the room, all eyes on Pidge and Becca as he stared down at his wife in shock.

"Awww," Lance sighed. "We're going to have a little nerd baby running around before long."

Becca turned to yell at her brother-in-law when she felt her husband start to sag against her. "Oh, sweetie, sit down, come here, sit down," she led him to the chair they had just vacated. "Head between your knees, babe, breathe." She put her hands on his shoulders and forced his head down. "I'm sorry, sweetie, I hadn't meant to tell you this way."

"When did you find out?" He mumbled from between his knees.

"Well, today actually. After I tested Allura I got to thinking, it's so easy to miss the signs in yourself. So I got tested, and well, I was going to tell you later. Are…are you okay with this?" She asked nervously.

Pidge slowly lifted his head and met his wife's anxious gaze. "Of course I am. You, uh, you caught me off guard with the news, but…but this is great." He pulled her onto his lap. "This is amazing." Gently framing her face with his hands, he whispered, "I love you," before sliding his hands into her hair and bringing her mouth down to his in a deep, drawn out kiss.

"Huh, I guess someone got over his dislike of public displays of affection," Lance said.

Pidge waved them off, pulling Becca back into the chair with him, never breaking contact with her lips.

"Leave them alone," Darcy whispered, appearing at his side. "This is big for them."

He slid his arm around her shoulders, "True, and it was nicer than hearing 'I'm pregnant you son of a bitch.'"

"That's how you told him you were expecting Schuyler?" Paton gasped, rubbing her hand over her stomach.

Darcy shrugged, "Bear in mind I had just seen him on the floor of the gym, making out with a half naked woman."

"In my defense, she was a witch who had cast some kind of spell over all of us, including Keith," Lance explained.

His wife snorted in response.

"So," Sven decided to stem an argument before it began. "Two pregnant vomen in de castle at de same time? Are you guys up for dat?"

Romelle poked him in the ribs, "Be nice."

"Hey, that's a legit dilemma," Lance said.

"I think we'll be able to get through it," Allura assured them. "As long as Keith does everything I tell him to and doesn't argue, it'll be fine."

"Keith is old hat at this," Hunk pointed out. "It's Pidge who needs to worry."

"Yeah, buddy, if you need advice…" Keith looked over at the chair where Pidge and Becca had been celebrating to see it empty.

"Vhere did dey go?" Sven asked looking around.

Allura smiled slyly and slid her arm around Keith's waist, "Well, if it's anything like when I told Keith I was pregnant with Cady, I think we can all guess where they went."

"Much like when you told me you were expecting the boys," he whispered. "And Tess."

"We haven't had a chance to properly celebrate this announcement yet."

"Okay, I think that's our cue to go get Shorty and head home," Lance told his wife.

"Oh leave her," Allura told him. "Sky is more than welcome to spend the night, we'll send her home in the morning."

"So, you're giving us a whole night alone?" Lance asked, excitedly.

Keith smiled, "Yeah, good night, man."

Lance hurried over hugged Allura, kissed her cheek, and shook Keith's hand, "Happy-anniversary-congratulations-on-the new-addition-we'll-see-you-tomorrow!"

"Lance!" Darcy shouted as he grabbed her hand again and pulled her from the room. "I'm sorry about my husband's rudeness! Happy Anniversary! We'll see you at the party tomorrow!" She called over her shoulder as he dragged her from the room.

"It is getting late," Hunk said, glancing at his wife, who nodded her agreement.

"We had a wonderful evening," Paton waddled over to Keith and Allura. "Thank you so much. I really enjoyed the story."

"I'm glad you could come," Allura hugged her.

Hunk shook Keith's hand and hugged Allura, "I guess we should be thanking you guys, and Pidge and Bec, for giving our kid some playmates who'll be about the same age."

Keith laughed, "Glad we could help."

"Yes, darling," Sven took Romelle's hand. "Ve should turn in as vell."

……………………………………………………….

"What a great way to celebrate our anniversary," Allura sighed as she and Keith made their way to their room. "Reliving how we met and got married."

"And celebrating a new baby," Keith grinned.

"I can't believe we're here, Keith. Married ten years, four kids, well, four and a quarter," she patted her stomach. "Arus has been flourishing for years now. Life is perfect."

He brushed her hair aside and kissed her neck, "Yup, it's pretty perfect."

Allura slowed as they approached the door to their room and he caressed her neck with butterfly kisses, getting closer to her birthmark. "Watch it, Captain," she warned. "I think we should actually get in the room before this goes any further."

"Allow me, my queen," he murmured, sweeping her up into his arms and opening the door. "You do need to take it easy."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and trailed kisses over his jaw and to his ear, "I love you so much."

"I love you too, babe," he whispered, turning so she could punch in the code to shut and lock the door.

Allura popped open the first few buttons of his shirt, slipping her hand inside, stroking his chest as he carried her to the bed. She felt him tense.

"Uh, honey."

"What is it?" She murmured against his throat.

"Our little Houdini has escaped again."

Allura lifted her head and looked around the room, her gaze settling on the little girl curled up on their bed. Keith gently set her on her feet and buttoned his shirt back up while she crossed the room.

Their youngest, Tess, had developed the habit of climbing out of bed in the middle of the night and showing up in either their room or Cady's room. It had started when she was still in the crib and to this day they have no idea how she had gotten out, which earned her the nickname Houdini. They had thought, and hoped, that she had broken this habit since she hadn't showed up at their room in quite a few months.

"She hasn't done this in a long time," Allura whispered, crouching down beside the sleeping child.

Keith stood over her, smiling. Tess wore a hand-me-down nightgown from Cady, white with pink rosebuds sprinkled over it. Her thumb had just fallen from her mouth, but she still clutched her yellow blanket and the silly stuffed moose Lance had given her when she was a baby laid next to her. "It must have been a nightmare."

"I'll get her back to bed," Allura said. "And then we'll finish what we started."

"I got her…"

"No, I want to," she assured him, slowly picking up her daughter, cradling her against her shoulder.

Keith picked up the moose and handed it to Allura, "I'll be waiting, gorgeous."

"Daddy," Tess mumbled against her mother's shoulder.

"Yeah, Princess," he smoothed the hair from her face. "What are you doing up?"

She lifted her head and rubbed her eye with a little fist, "Lookin' for you."

"What's wrong, sweetie?" Allura asked, sitting on the bed, holding Tess on her lap.

Tears welled up in her brown eyes and she stuffed her thumb in her mouth, leaning her head on Allura's shoulder.

"What's wrong, Tess?" Keith asked, tugging gently on a lock of her hair.

Whimpering, tears spilled out of her eyes and down her cheeks. She hid her face in her blanket.

Allura shifted the little girl so she could look at her and pulled the blanket aside, "Tess, tell Mommy what's wrong."

"Why…why you havin' anuder baby?" She mumbled around her thumb.

"Why are we having another baby?" Allura repeated. "Well, because we want to. We love you and your sister and your brothers so much and we want to have another baby to love."

"Don't you want a baby brother or sister?" Keith asked gently.

She shook her head.

"Why not?"

"'Cause you won't love me anymore. You…you're havin' da baby 'cause you don't like me, so you're gonna try again…to have a baby you like." She explained quietly, toying with the pendant of Allura's necklace. The gold heart with the four shiny diamonds in it always fascinated her.

"Oh, sweetie," Allura hugged her tightly. "That's not true. We love you so much, nothing will ever change that."

Keith ran his hand over her silky hair, "Where did you ever get an idea like that, Tess?"

"Da boys said so."

He rolled his eyes, "They only said that because they know we like you better than we like them."

"Keith!" Allura hissed. "That's not true. We love all of you just the same. Cady, Gideon, Declan, and you, Tess. We love all four of you and we always will."

"I like bein' da baby," she yawned, two big tears sliding down her cheeks.

"Tessy, listen to me," Keith lifted her onto his lap so she was facing him. "You are our Tess, the only Tess we will ever have, and you are so special to us. No matter what happens we love you and we will love you forever because you are our Tess. No matter how many brothers and sisters you have, you will always be special and we will always love you."

The little girl looked up at her father with wide, wet eyes.

"Okay?"

She nodded.

"Are you ready to go to bed now?"

Tess fell against him and clung to his shirt, "Can I sleep wif you tonight?"

Keith met Allura's eyes over her head, "Uh, no, not tonight, Princess. Don't you want to sleep with Cady and Sky? It's a slumber party."

"Dey were telling scary stories."

Trying to think of a way to get the night alone with his wife, Keith stood and paced the room, hoping Tess would fall asleep. "Tell you what, Tessy, if you go to bed now and get a good night's sleep, tomorrow before the party you and I will go up in Black and make sure everything is safe around the castle."

She lifted her head off his chest and looked at him, "Just you and me?"

"Yup, just us."

"Not da boys?"

"No, sweetheart, it's going to be a long time before your brothers are allowed anywhere near any of the lions."

"If I see a bad guy can I shoot him?"

Keith started at her question, "Uh, we'll see. But you have to go to bed and get a good night's sleep, okay?"

"Okay Daddy."

Allura appeared at their side, "Ready for bed, sweetie?"

Tess tightened her arms around Keith's neck, "Daddy."

"Oh, uh, okay sweetie. I'll see you in the morning, sweet dreams." She leaned over and blew a raspberry on Tess's wet cheek, earning a shriek of laughter from the little girl. "Good night, Tessy," Allura kissed her on both cheeks. "I love you."

"'Night, Mommy," Tess returned the kiss and took the moose Allura held out for her. "Love you too."

It was twenty minutes before Keith returned to their room. He sat with Tess, read her a story, and rubbed her back until she finally fell asleep. He hurried back, hoping his wife would still be in the mood to celebrate their anniversary. Between work and the kids, their time alone had become scarce as of late. So any time they could spend together was greatly anticipated.

He opened the door and smiled at the sight that greeted him. His beautiful wife was dressed in a long, sheer silk nightgown and had her back to him as she lit a candle on the mantle. The lights around the room had been extinguished, only a handful of candles and the light of two and a quarter moons shone in through the windows. Shadows moved and danced around the room as Allura turned slowly, blowing out the match in her hand and tossing it into the fireplace.

"Hi," Keith whispered.

She smiled softly, "Hi. She get to sleep alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine," he assured her, running his gaze over her body.

"You know," she began, gliding over to him. "I have loved you for about fifteen years now."

"Yeah."

"But I can honestly say," Allura slid her arms around his neck. "I have never loved you as much as I did when you were explaining to Tess how important she is to us."

He smiled, "I was about her age when Dana was born and I remember feeling threatened by the arrival of a new baby. My father sat me down one day, after he caught me trying to trade Dana to our next door neighbor for their cat, and said something pretty similar to me."

"I love you."

Keith ran his fingers up and down her spine, feeling her shiver, "Care to show me?"

"I guess you want your Anniversary present huh?"

He cocked an eyebrow, "I thought we were going to do that tomorrow."

"I don't think I can wait until tomorrow night."

"Neither can I."

Taking a step back, Allura smiled seductively at him. Without a word, she reached behind her and tugged at the bow on the back of her gown. The material instantly loosened and she slowly lowered the straps, the ivory material pooling at her feet.

Keith sucked in a sharp breath. She was so lovely, his wife. If he lived to be a hundred he would never fail to be amazed by her beauty.

"Happy Anniversary, handsome."

A slow smile spread across his lips as he raised his eyes to hers, "Happy Anniversary, Angel."

She stepped forward and kissed him softly, "You're a little over dressed for our celebration."

Laughing, he scooped her up into his arms and carried her over to the bed, "We'll just have to rectify that problem, won't we."

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**Author's Note:** Wow, another story finished. I absolutely hated ending this story, but all things must come to an end. I know I say this every time, but I had no idea it would be this long. I had originally planned on ending it when they first got together, but then someone suggested I write about her meeting Keith's family and the wedding and I just couldn't seem to stop. (See, I really do read your reviews and take into consideration everything you say!)

I noticed the published date on this story the other day and was shocked to realize I spent just over six months on this story. It has truly been a labor of love. Writing is a therapy for me, it helps keep me calm in this crazy world and give me a chance to truly let my imagination wander. To know that I can do something I love so much and to have people enjoy it as well is one of the greatest feelings ever.

Thank you all for the great reviews and wonderful support! You guys really keep me posting and it means so much to know you like my stories. I have a couple of little idea floating around…one for another one-shot K&A story that will have to do with my series…another shorter chapter story primarily about Lance and Darcy, but including all of them…

As for writing stories about other shows and whatnot, I don't know. I get one idea in my head and I can't stop until I have gone through every possible angle. So, until I run out of Voltron ideas, I'm going to stick with it.

So let me just end this by saying thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I love you all! You rock!

Love,

Failte


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